Of Drums and Wolves
by yesimadramaqueen
Summary: The Master manages to jump to a parallel Earth to attempt world domination again. However, he encounters none other than Rose Tyler. Suddenly, he's falling in love. Can the Doctor reach them before the parallel Earth and his perfect Rose are lost forever? AU at the end of series three. Rose/Master; Rose/Ten. Romance, drama, angst, and comedy. Rated T for violence.
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter One: Who was Rose Tyler?**_

Months. That's how long it had been. The Doctor was still an elderly gentleman, and the Master felt great joy whenever he could torment him. It wasn't anything the Doctor couldn't handle. After the Time War, no horror could compare. Well, that's what he thought. He was wrong.

It was an average day on the Valiant. Averagely miserable. The Doctor was seated at the table, like he usually was. He knew the Master had entered when he heard his god-awful singing. However, the fun didn't begin until the Master leapt in front of his chair with a broad smile.

"Hello, Doctor. Beautiful day, isn't? Just lovely. I know that you aren't one for talking lately, which really breaks my hearts. Sincerely it does. Well, coming from me that means next to nothing. I was doing some thinking. Serious thinking. Pontificating, if you will. How do I get the Doctor to talk me? Then, I thought of something. You were always fond of your companions."

The Doctor shifted uncomfortably, giving the Master everything he needed. He was on the right track. He loved it when he found a way to get under the Doctor's skin.

"Before I turned the TARDIS into a paradox machine I had a looksee. Nothing big. Just the latest files. I didn't find much, but I did find something interesting. A little gem. Martha isn't your first companion since the Time War. There was another. What was her name? Oh yes. Rose Tyler."

He glared intensely at the Master, but he still didn't answer him. The Master kept pushing.

"There were a few things here and there. It didn't say much about why she left. I began to wonder, what was it? Did you drive her away? Did she get killed? Maimed? Oh, I hoped that she was maimed. She looked so pretty in her file picture. Almost too pretty for her own good. So, I decided to do a little research. I wanted to find her, and find her I did! Rose Tyler is dead. Died in the Battle of Canary Wharf. Oh, and you were there. Torchwood said so. How did that feel? Watching your companion die?"

The Master searched the Doctor's face for a response. He didn't seem upset. The Doctor was always sad about death, especially for his human playthings. That gave the Master an idea. He kept talking.

"You know, I think that you should be reunited. I could always dig up the body. That'd be a sight. A corpse of your companion right here on the Valiant. Staring you in the face. By now, very decomposed."

No response. Could it be that she didn't really die? He grinned. Oh, he could be so clever.

"She isn't dead, is she? Maybe I can actually find her. The living, breathing human girl. I could bring her here. The games we would play! How lovely that would be!"

The Doctor's face hardened at the first part, but he clearly wasn't worried. Rose was alive, yet she was somewhere that even the Master couldn't reach. She must have gone missing during the battle and they assumed that she was dead. What did that mean? She had to be far, far away. The Doctor was so confident of this. It hit him. What if the Doctor couldn't get to her either? He had to work that angle.

"I won't be able to find her, will I? But something tells me that you can't find her either. Your eyes are so unhappy. Like a puppy dog lost without its mother. Lost…that's where Rose Tyler is. You've lost her, haven't you? She's out there somewhere. Alone. Frightened. Probably kicking herself for trusting you."

"Stop it," the Doctor finally answered. "I'm telling you right now. Don't."

The Master clapped his hands. "It speaks! We have had a breakthrough. Hold that thought. Let me get a chair…" he pulled over a chair and sat, crossing his legs. He leaned on his fist attentively. "Tell me about her. Go on. How'd you lose her?"

"I'm not going to tell you anything."

"Doctor, we're old friends. Something like this must kill you inside. Don't you want to talk about her?"

"No."

"Well, if you won't I will! I'll just talk and talk and talk and talk. It'll be all lies, of course. That's what I do best. I did go into politics for a reason. Ah, where do I begin? Rose Tyler was a worthless human. Couldn't do anything right."

"Don't use her name," the Doctor warned, growing angry. "That's a mistake."

The Master leaned in excitedly. "Why is that?"

"It's the name that keeps me fighting."

This was better than he thought. The Doctor must be _in love _with this human. It was like Christmas morning. "You loved her!"

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Stop it."

"_You _stop it. C'mon, Doctor. Tell me one thing about her. That's all. Just one thing to start."

He hesitated. "I'd rather be tortured with Jack."

"But this is torture! Look at you. Pathetic and in love. So sweet. Just pulls at the heart strings. If you don't tell me, I'll go to the TARDIS right now. I might snoop around. Maybe I'll find her old room. Destroy everything. All that you have left of her."

"There's nothing there."

"You're lying," the Master chuckled. "You are such a horrible liar! Dear Lord, it is an insult to con-artists in every corner of the universe! Seriously, leave it to the professionals. Either you talk, or I erase every last trace that she ever traveled with you. Even the file."

The Doctor scowled. He had left her room exactly the same. The only photograph he had was in the file, and the Master would be able to erase it. The TARDIS was the paradox machine, but he'd have enough power to access it. Nevertheless, he hated talking about her. It broke him in half. It'd break him even more to lose the only connection he had left.

"I'm waiting…" the Master hummed with a smile.

"Only if you give me your word on Gallifrey that you'll leave her things and the file alone."

The Master held up his hand. "I swear on Gallifrey."

"And Rassilon."

He groaned. "And Rassilon."

"And your mum."

"All right! I promise! Just get on with it. How'd you lose her?"

He took a steadying breath. "It was at the Battle of Canary Wharf. She was about to be sucked into the void with the Cybermen and Daleks. I couldn't get to her. Her father from a parallel world appeared and took her back. She's in that world with her family."

"Parallel…" the Master echoed. "Interesting. Now, why did you fall in love with her?"

Painfully, he swallowed. If it had been any other person in any other circumstance, he wouldn't have spoken at all or continued to speak. But, this was the Master. His oldest friend and most devious enemy. So, with agonizing reluctance, he mumbled, "Too many reasons."

"Give me a bloody example, then."

"…she was unstoppable. Once, she took the Time Vortex into her head."

The Master's eyes grew wide. "She couldn't have survived that."

"No, that's why I took it from her. It did kill me. I had to regenerate."

He made a sad sound. "How romantic. Why'd she do that? Just for fun?"

"No, not for fun. I sent her and the TARDIS to London for the last time. She wouldn't accept that. She broke into it and stared into the Time Vortex so she could save me from the Daleks. The Emperor survived the Time War and created an army. She killed them all with the wave of her hand, including the Emperor."

"Really?" the Master said in disbelief. The Doctor nodded. "No wonder you loved her. Attractive and powerful. Where'd you get Martha? You should send her back. She's not Rose Tyler, is she?"

The Doctor wouldn't answer.

"That's what I thought," the Master chuckled. "The countdown continues! Let me just say that I am very glad that Rose Tyler isn't the one out there. I might actually be a bit concerned. Well, not really. Maybe a tad. Why don't we talk more about this companion of yours tomorrow?"

"No. I talked once."

"Then I'll break my promise to Gallifrey, Rassilon, and my mum. If you keep talking, I won't touch anything on the TARDIS. Cross my hearts."

The Doctor grimaced. "Why are you doing this?"

"Like I said, it's torture for you. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Nice and tingly. It even tickles. I want to know who Rose Tyler was. Do we have a deal?"

He hated to do it, but he knew that they'd defeat the Master somehow while he would never get to replace Rose's things. It killed him to answer. "We have a deal."

"Wonderful! Same place, same time. I do hope your schedule isn't too full for your old mate. Make sure you add me to your very busy calendar."

The Master patted him harshly on the shoulder and sauntered away, whistling cheerfully. Cringing, the Doctor thought back to his happier days with Rose and the TARDIS. They were gone forever, and that was worse than anything. The Master knew that, and he was going to exploit the weakness until there was nothing left but a shell of a Time Lord.

Every day after that, the Doctor had to share one story about Rose. He kept them as vague as possible, but it was wearing him down. The countdown was wearing down as well. It was just a matter of time, and he hoped that Martha had succeeded. The Master had to be stopped.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two: Fated Meetings**_

Bugger. The Doctor's friends had beaten him. He stood handcuffed and defenseless. All of his plans were over with, and it seemed to be the end of the road. The Doctor was going on and on about how the Master was his responsibility. He scowled at that. Like he was going to be a prisoner for the rest of his lives. That's why, in his spare time, he had crafted a special device. It fit on his forearm as just a little band with blinking lights. What did it do? It allowed him to jump to parallel worlds. Well, that was the theory. They underestimated him if they thought that he was too cocky to have an escape plan. After all, he was truly a coward and proud.

Oh, drat. Lucy, his sweet Lucy, decided to shoot him. Luckily, he saw her just before she pulled the trigger. The bullet only hit him in the gut. Still a very serious wound, but not fatal. The Doctor was running towards him, and he ran backwards with a grin.

"Don't think about it, Doctor. If you thought that I'd be your prisoner, you were horribly wrong. I don't care if you forgive me. I don't care if we're the last two left. I'm going to live my lives and try this again. But, not in this world!"

Before the Doctor could say a word, he slammed his forearms together. The Master vanished in a beam of light. It didn't feel like much of anything when he traveled. It was more of a warm sensation than anything else. When he arrived at his new location, he definitely felt something. He slammed into a wet and hard ground, wincing at the pain. He was still handcuffed and unable to apply pressure to his wound. Blood was staining his suit at a dizzying rate. He glanced around to see where the gap came out.

"I'm on a beach?" he questioned curiously. "It's not bad, but really? A beach?"

When he tried to get up, he couldn't. It hurt too much. If the wound got to a serious point, he could always regenerate. He didn't really want that, especially since he quite liked his face. But, he'd do what was necessary. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. Suddenly, a woman stood over him. The sunlight caught her back, so it looked like she was glowing. He couldn't see her face clearly.

"Where did you come from?" the Master demanded.

"Where did _you_ come from? I was just sitting on the rocks over there when you showed up. Fell from the sky. You've been shot."

He rolled his eyes. "Thank you so much for informing me. I had no idea. Really. None."

She pressed on the wound, causing him to yell in agony. "That's what you get for being cheeky, mate. I'll help you if you'd like. But, if not, you can just relax and bleed to death. I'm the only person for miles."

"Okay, yes. I'd like some help."

"All right then. Can you explain the handcuffs?"

"Well, you see, they're used to keep people's hands joined together…" her hand pushed harder and he screamed. "Okay! Fine! I was wrongfully handcuffed. Accused of some horrible things."

"Right, wrongfully. I'm going to go get my medical kit. Don't die while I'm gone."

He scowled at her words. "Not planning on it. Take your time. It's nothing serious. Just a flesh wound. It's not like my shirt is turning red with blood or anything."

Pausing, she folded her arms. "Keep going and I'll drive off."

"You wouldn't. I'm a poor, defenseless man in need of a rescue…" he argued arrogantly.

"Really? You want to a gamble on some person you've just met? For all you know, I could be a murderer and you're easy prey."

"Please, you are no such thing. You're bluffing."

"You want to take that risk?" she asked with a stern tone.

Frowning, he reluctantly answered, "Just get the bag. I'll shut up."

"Unlikely."

"_Now_ who's being cheeky?"

Without replying, she resumed walking. After a moment, she returned with a large bag of medical supplies. She peeled back his shirt and took a look. "Yeah, you've got a bullet in you. I'm going to have to pull that out."

"What? On a beach?"

"On a beach. Try to stay still. It'll only hurt a lot."

She removed the bullet, as he writhed in anguish, and put a patch on the wound. He glanced at the flimsy padding. "You must be joking. That's not going to stop the bleeding. It's like slapping a piece of tape on a broken dam."

"Are you going to be this annoying? I'll leave. I seriously will."

"Are you going to be this inept? I'll die. I _seriously_ will."

Groaning, she pointedly put another piece of bandage on him. "For now, this'll slow down the bleeding. I'll have to stitch you up, but I think that'd be better in my car. Less sand to get in there. C'mon, we're going."

He whined and complained as she helped him up and walked him to her car. She put him on the back seat and prepared to stitch the wound. "It'll hold you over until we get you to hospital."

"No," he declared. "No hospitals."

She raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "Right. You're shot and bleeding on my back seat, but let's not worry about hospitals."

He shouted as she started to sew, glaring at her force. She seemed familiar, but he wasn't sure why. Once he was patched up, he held out his hands.

"Would you mind undoing my handcuffs?"

"I would. You're staying cuffed for now."

"What? Why?"

She glared as she sat in the driver's seat. "I don't trust you. Now stay very still. We're going to the inn since _someone_ doesn't want to get real help."

"You're a doctor. That's close enough," he answered with a smile.

"Not a doctor."

"How can you not be a doctor? You have a medical bag in your car and you knew exactly what to do. Are you a nurse? A medical student?"

That got her laughing. "None of the above. I just like to be prepared. That's all."

They fell into silence and he had to ask. "Where are we exactly?"

"Norway. That was a place called Bad Wolf Bay."

"Right, of course. Good old Norway. You sound like you're from London. I'm from London. Could you remind me who the Prime Minster is?"

"Her name is—"

"Never mind. I remember."

It had worked. He was in a parallel world. If he were still in his world, he'd be the Prime Minister. They drove for almost an hour before they hit a small town. She helped him out of the car and grabbed her medical bag, slowly going inside. She smiled at the suspicious desk clerk as they moved towards her room. "A friend. He isn't feeling well. Totally drunk."

The Master put on a dazed expression. "Party animal! Woot!"

Once they reached her room, she threw him on the small bed. He grunted from the pain and she stood over him with a threatening expression. "Who are you?"

"Nobody important."

She rolled her eyes at his answer, but kept pushing. "What's the truth about what happened to you?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "I have a complicated life."

"Gunshot wounds and handcuffs? Appearing on a deserted beach from the air? Complicated doesn't cover it."

"All right, maybe not. I promise that I'll tell you everything later. You can trust me. I'm not dangerous. I swear. See? I'm not crossing any fingers. I may be many things, but I am not a liar."

She eyed him carefully, quickly exiting to the bathroom. She returned with a glass of water and lifted his head, allowing him to drink. He smiled at her, studying her face carefully. Why could he swear that he knew her? She swept her long blond hair over one shoulder, taking his pulse with her fingers. After a pause, he smiled.

"And exactly who are you?"

"Nobody important."

"Oh, that's not fair."

"You started it," she smiled widely. "And you're lucky I'm helping you. I was very close to leaving your sorry self on that Norwegian beach."

"Well, you didn't. Out of curiosity, what's a London girl doing in Norway?"

"What's a London man doing magically showing up on beaches?"

They locked eyes. He liked this one. She had fire. He shrugged uncomfortably in his suit coat. The room was hotter than hell and he was sweating buckets. She took pity on him and rifled through the medical bag. He watched as she removed a tiny piece of technology. It was a laser pen. This girl was already stealing his hearts. How did she have that?

She removed the handcuffs and tossed them aside. Gingerly, she helped him take off his coat. She rolled up one sleeve and he caught her hand before she could do the other. With a smirk, she nodded to his forearm.

"You've got lights under that sleeve. There's something you don't want me to see."

"You've got a laser pen in your bag. That's something you really shouldn't have, darling."

They paused. She smiled and went back to her mysterious bag. It wasn't just for medical equipment, he knew. Who was this woman? After a moment, she sat on the bed next to him and swiftly injected him with something. His eyelids began to droop. She had drugged him! Oh, he _really_ liked this one.

"Who are you really?" he managed to ask, gradually slipping into sleep.

"I'm Rose Tyler."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three: Can we be Friends?**_

Rose instantly went for his sleeve. She rolled it up and looked at the device. The lights were fading. After a few minutes, whatever it was had died. She pulled at it and pushed until it came off. Even after working at Torchwood, she couldn't place the item. Sighing, she tossed onto a desk. Something caught her eye. There was writing on the other side, but not just any writing. It was Gallifreyan. She'd know it anywhere.

For a second, she couldn't move. She kept staring at it in awe. Her hand traced the engraved circles, and she trembled. Could it be that this man was the Doctor? Obviously, he would have regenerated again. She rushed to her kit and dug out a stethoscope. With flutters in her stomach, she listened to the man's heart. Then, she moved it and listened. Another heartbeat.

This man was a Time Lord.

"It has to be you," she whispered shakily as she took his hand. "You're the only one left."

But, why didn't he remember her? Why was he in handcuffs and gut shot? And what about the regeneration? Did something awful happen to her Doctor? She hoped not. Even so, she'd find a way to remind him. After all of that time, she wasn't about to give up.

An hour passed and the drug wore off. The man came around gradually, mumbling nonsense until he saw Rose. He smiled at her hazily. "You've drugged me. Well played."

"I know who you are," she told him, trying to avoid getting emotional.

He froze. "You know?"

"Yeah. You're a Time Lord."

Ah, she must have figured that out while he was drugged, he thought. She was a clever one. And his parallel world jumper was missing! What a cunning woman. He nodded his head. "I am a Time Lord. And you're Rose Tyler. I know who you are."

She grinned excitedly. "You do?"

"Yes. He told me all about you."

That gave her pause. How confused was the Doctor? Maybe he had a head injury as well. It was possible. She didn't know what to say, so she only smiled and squeezed his hand.

"I'm sure he's told you all about me," the Master laughed arrogantly. "At some point or another."

Now, Rose was very confused and very worried. "What are you talking about?"

"The Doctor."

"That's you."

He chuckled. "Dear God, no. I'm not the Doctor. I shudder to think!"

"But…you're a Time Lord. The Doctor said that he was the last one. He wouldn't have lied to me about that. You have to be him."

"I am _not_ the Doctor. I'm the Master."

Her brow knit. "The Master?"

Oh, how he frowned. "Are you telling me that the Doctor hasn't mentioned me?"

"No. Never. Not even once."

He threw a fit. "That is so rude! After everything we've been through! We played together when we were children. Ran around my father's estate. Grew up together, really. You said not even once?"

"Sorry, but he really didn't."

"He didn't even _complain_ about me? About how I was so incredibly annoying?"

"No, but I certainly will."

"Oh, ha-ha. You think that you're so clever."

"I am," she smirked, suddenly scowling. "So…you're not the Doctor? You're sure?"

"Come off it! I. Am. Not. The. _Doctor_. Master. I am the Master. My parallel world jumper has my name on it. Bring it here."

Reluctantly, she brought it over. He pointed to the Gallifreyan. "See? That's my name. Clearly, that doesn't spell the _Doctor_. The letters are a genetic reader. Put that engraving to my skin and it works for me. And only me. Isomorphic controls. But, it's dead. Ah, well. It was only good for one jump."

"Parallel world jumper? So you are from the parallel world. I knew it. That explains everything."

He frowned in confusion. "Explains what exactly?"

"Bad Wolf Bay. There's a gap between universes. That's why you showed up here. But the Doctor said that it wasn't possible. If he came through, the universes would collapse."

"He would say that. It's true. Usually. I'm exceedingly brilliant. I've calibrated this to find the exact time there's a gap. That way, no destroying of the worlds. He wouldn't have dreamt of this in a million years. He's not a man that takes risks like I do. See, if I miscalculated or this malfunctioned the universes would be ripped to tiny shreds."

She glared at him. "Why did you risk that?"

"I had to escape. Now, here's a question…what were you doing at Bad Wolf Bay? No one else was around for miles. Don't tell me. You were waiting on the Doctor."

Her eyes drifted away from him. "No. I wasn't _waiting_. It's just. That's the last place I saw him. I mean, it was the worst day of my life. I hate that beach. Still, I feel…closer to him. He called me there to say goodbye. Burned up a whole sun to do it," she laughed slightly and grew incredibly sad. "Anyway, it's a silly human thing. You probably wouldn't understand."

The Master grinned. Evidently, she was in love with him too. How cute was that? He decided to take one last jab at the Doctor, even though he wasn't there.

"I see. You know, it's time for me to be honest with you about the handcuffs and the gunshot."

"All right…"

"The Doctor found me. I was hiding in human form. See, I ran from the Time War. I put my Time Lord essence into a fobwatch. He got me to open the watch and tada! Back to being a Time Lord. After that, I traveled with him for a while. We were best mates. After a sticky situation in London, we were thought to be criminals. While attempting an escape, I was gut shot. That's when I jumped here. But, before I left…how do I tell you this…the Doctor was shot."

Her hand went to her mouth. "Is he all right?"

"No. They got him in the head. It was too fast for him to regenerate. I'm sorry, Rose. So astoundingly sorry. The Doctor is dead."

She shook her head, blinking back unshed tears. "I don't believe that."

"What? Why not?"

"I would know, okay? I would feel it. I say he's fine. Maybe you just didn't see the whole thing."

Why was she so smart? He tried to keep his patience. "I saw the whole thing. I cradled him in my handcuffed arms. He was quite dead."

"He could have regenerated after the fact."

"Rose, _the Doctor is dead_."

In an attempt to convince her, he put on some fake tears. She watched him sob and felt herself crying as well. He decided to take it over the top.

"My best mate! The world is so cruel! I wish I could have saved him!"

He saw Rose's tears and painfully pulled her into an embrace. She cried into his shoulder heavily. "I can't believe it. I've been trying so hard to get back to him. One day, I was going to see him again."

"There, there. It's all right. He talked about you all the time."

She sniffed. "He did?"

"Yes. He loved you. Told me about how you took the Time Vortex into your mind to save him. All of your adventures. It broke his hearts that he lost you. It was _torture_ for him to talk about, but he did it anyway. He's gone now. All gone. Dead. Deceased. Decomposing. Nonliving. A cadaver. A corpse. The poor chap."

That got her sobbing again. He rubbed soothing circles into your back. "Shush, Rose Tyler. It'll be all right. You aren't all alone now, are you? We have each other. We can remember him together. What do you say? Can we be friends?"

She pulled back and studied his face carefully. Something about him reminded her of when she first met the Doctor. Although she didn't completely trust him yet, he obviously did know the Doctor and obviously was a Time Lord. Maybe they could be friends. Maybe he needed her like the Doctor did. After all, she couldn't just leave the wounded man on his own in a new world. Gently, she gave him a sorrowful smile.

"Only if I don't have to call you Master."

"But that's my name."

"And it's bloody demeaning, mate. Surely there's something else I can call you."

He grinned wickedly. "Harold Saxon at your service."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four: Wolves**_

The Doctor knew what had happened. He looked over the energy readings and scoured the Valiant until he found evidence that it was true. The Master had built a parallel world jumper. Those were only a myth and incredibly dangerous. By some miracle, it worked. Both universes were intact. There was a very large problem. The Master would have a new world to take over. Not only that, but the nearest world was home to Rose Tyler.

"Can't you help?" the Doctor asked Martha as they stood in the repaired TARDIS. "The Master is still out there. We have to find him. Maybe I can help him. Stop him before he does the same thing to a different Earth."

"I can't do that. You saw what he did to my family. They need me."

Sheepishly, he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Quite right. I understand that. But, there's a parallel world in danger. He'll find a way to try this again. You know he will."

"Or maybe he won't. Even if he does, that isn't our world. Doctor, you can't protect every universe. You should focus on this one. Besides, that parallel world probably has its own defender of the Earth."

His face fell. "It probably does."

Martha felt bad for him, but she had more important things to worry about. She put a comforting hand on his arm. "I'm sorry. I really am. I just can't help you anymore. Not when I have so much here on Earth. The Master mightn't even be alive, you know. That was a serious wound. He could have died before he could regenerate. Even if he is alive and even if I could help you, we both know that I'm not the companion you want."

He tried to scoff, but it didn't come across. Reluctantly, he nodded in acceptance. "Take good care of your family, Martha Jones. It's been fun."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah right. Loads of fun. You take care of yourself. And if you do get to that parallel world…don't be thick. Bring her home. That's what this is about. We both know that it is."

With that, he waved goodbye to Martha and sunk onto the seat. She was right. It was about Rose. What if the Master found her? He knew what she looked like. He knew that she was on another world. The Doctor needed help, but Jack had already declined. He did say that if the Doctor needed something locally, he could stop by. Still, he could hardly do it by himself. Building a jumper would take time, parts, and more hands than he had. Plus, it was just a theory. One mistake could destroy two universes. Well, the Master managed it, but could he really take that risk?

He had to.

Meanwhile, Rose was sitting on the bed beside the Master. They were drinking tap water in silence and swapping stories about the Doctor. He was only talking about his adversary to gain Rose's trust. She would be the perfect assistant for world domination. This world would be his. But, he was feeling tired from the blood loss and a little lightheaded. Between the drums and her voice, he was worried that he was going mad…in all the right ways.

"Tell me more about this jumper," Rose stated, feeling numb from it all.

The Master sighed from his place next to her, hip to hip, and shrugged apathetically. "You wouldn't understand it. It's far too complicated for your small, human brain."

She whacked the hell out of his arm. "Oi, don't. What is it with you Time Lords? Rude and on about being a superior race. I'm not an idiot."

He blinked at her. She hit him? Well, she had no fear whatsoever. He loved that. "Fine, what do you want to know?"

"How it works. I thought that was obvious."

"Don't insult me."

"You insulted me first, _Harold_. Doesn't feel so great, does it?"

The Master frowned, explaining, "The jumper works by searching through time for a specific moment. The walls between universes fluctuate regularly, but only for a split second. For that second, the jumper finds the gap and sends the person through it. Genius."

She nodded in understanding. "Right, but why is it the gap opened on the day that I'm here?"

He studied her face carefully. "Fixed point in time."

"What is?"

"Our meeting. I used some of the TARDIS to build the jumper. They travel in similar ways. It just so happens that we were meant to meet, so it brought me here on purpose. You probably come here often, don't you?"

Her eyes looked away as a blush covered her cheeks. "Not _often_ just _sometimes_."

"How much is sometimes? Is this room permanently booked under your name? Do the townspeople know you as that barmy Londoner who sneaks away to empty beaches? Maybe you even have a regular order at the little café we passed!"

She found herself laughing. "Blimey, you never stop talking. It's like a disease with you people."

"_You_ people? Are you racist?"

"What? I wasn't the one insulting the size of the human brain. That was you, Time Lord."

"It's not racist if it's true."

"I cannot believe you! To think that I saved your life. Too bad you can't alter your own timeline without all hell breaking loose. I'd love to have a long conversation with myself. Prevent this entire thing."

He scoffed. "I'm not that bad."

"If only you could know what you're like to me, mate…" she chuckled.

Haughtily, he looked into her eyes. "I can."

"What? Don't be daft."

"No, I can. Hasn't the Doctor ever read your head? Fingers to the temple. Melding of minds."

She shook her head and practically whispered, "He never did. Never had the chance to."

"Can I?"

"Kind of intimate for some bloke I literally scraped off the sand an hour or so ago, don't you think?"

The Master scowled. He wanted to see what she was really like, but he didn't want to compromise his chances. Until she trusted him, he had to play his cards close to the chest. "Oh, all right. You are such a buzz kill, Rose Tyler. The worst downer."

"Now that's harsh. How'd you react if I asked to read your head this second?"

"I'd let you."

"Liar."

"What?"

"You're lying. I can tell. I've got experience with this sort of thing. An expert, really."

He grinned deviously. "Such an ego you've got."

"I'd tell you to look in a mirror, but you probably wouldn't be able to look away. You are _that_ in love with yourself."

At first, he sent her a glare. She started laughing uncontrollably and he joined in. Silence fell and she was lost to her horrible thoughts of losing her Doctor. He was lost to his own and idly tapped on the night table. One two three four. One two three four. One two three four. The drums. They never left him. He listened and listened. His fingers went faster. He wanted to see destruction. He wanted to feel the world burn.

"Hey."

Rose broke his concentration. He glanced over, scowling. "What?"

"You all right?"

He was taken aback by the question. "Am I all right? Why wouldn't I be? Well, other than the painful wound in my abdomen that you so _tenderly_ mended. You might as well have used a whaling harpoon and wire cable."

"You're alive, so stop whining. It's not like I used my fingernails or something."

"Now that's foreplay if I've ever heard it," he commented with a wink.

She shoved him. "Belt up. I'm still not convinced that you're all right. I know that look really well. The Oncoming Storm."

"That isn't me," he argued, knowing the Doctor's fabled name.

"Yeah, you've made that perfectly clear. I think that you're worse than that."

That got him to grin. "I'm worse?"

"That's not something to smile about," she laughed faintly.

"It is for me."

Rose paused. He had a wolfish appearance. What was he hiding from her? She knew that it had to be something. They were just two wolves in a single bed, both lost to their own thoughts. He was tapping in a rhythm again. She glanced at him, observing the motion. His face was twisted in a joyful expression as he tapped. There was something dark in his eyes.

"Sounds like you're playing the drums, Mr. Saxon."

"No. The drums are always playing in here…" he tapped his temple. "Can't you hear it? The drums are coming closer. Beating louder. Listen. You'll hear it."

"I can hear your fingers."

His fingers stopped drumming. He stared at her. "Now? Can you hear it now?"

"No…but that doesn't mean that I don't believe you."

"You believe me?" he asked in amazement. "You believe that they're real?"

She shrugged. "I don't see why not. I'm not going to call you mad for hearing drums in your head. We're all a bit off. I hear things all the time. Not drums. Just catchy tunes or…you know. Memories of. Certain people…"

"So, you don't think that I'm a nutter? That I might fly off the handle and do something horrible?" he pushed, wondering exactly what the young woman thought of him.

"I don't think you're mental. But, I do think that you're dangerous."

That gave him pause. "Why aren't you scared of me, then? I know fear. I know what it feels like when I am feared. But you, you aren't afraid. Maybe not of anything, but definitely not of me. How is that? How are you comfortable sitting beside a dangerous stranger like me?"

"Because I don't think that you want to be that way."

The Master's breath stopped. Why would she say that? Was she just stupid? Innocent? He was dangerous and he wanted to be. He lived for it. His hand lifted to smack her, to prove that he was a force to be reckoned with, but she easily caught his wrist. He wasn't fast enough on the draw, he supposed. It had to be that he was faint from the bullet wound. She smiled and lowered his arm. He could only look at her curiously. Then, she slapped him across the face.

"Ouch! You just like beating me up, Rose Tyler!"

"That's for trying to hit me. If you _ever_ do that again, I will personally turn you into a eunuch. Don't cross me. I mean it. The Doctor always gave a choice before he did something awful, so this is yours. You play nice, or I'll end you. I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm a woman with a broken heart, and that is the worst kind of monster. And guess what, I don't care if you're a Time Lord. I don't care if you're the only physical link to my Doctor. I might not like who I'd have to become, but I'll go there if you push me. I have nothing to lose. I just lost everything. There's nothing left. Do you understand me, mate?"

He rubbed his throbbing cheek with a grin. "I do think that I like you, Rose Tyler. Quite a lot."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Five: Not Impossible**_

The following morning, Rose checked out of her room and helped the Master into the passenger's seat of the car. They were going back to the estate where a medic would tend to him quietly. The last thing they needed was for a hospital to find out that he had two hearts. She carefully buckled him into the seat and looked him over. "The belt isn't hurting you too bad, is it?"

"It could be worse. Why don't you kiss it and make it better?"

She slammed the door on his foot, grinning as he yelped. Once she was in the car next to him, she breezily smirked at his scowl. "Time to go home, yeah?"

"You shut the door on me."

"Oi, you had that coming, Harold."

The car began to travel and he found himself smiling. He drifted off after about an hour and fell into a nightmare. The drums were all around. Banging. Booming. Gallifrey was burning. The Doctor was mocking him for running away and missing his chance to feel like God. Just as the Doctor was about to imprison him for the rest of his days, he woke with a scream. Rose leapt at the noise and pulled over to the side of the road.

"Are you okay?"

"What do you care?" he grumbled irritably, tapping to the drums on the window. "I'm someone you just met and have severely threatened and beaten, but you want to be sure that I'm well and good? How does that make sense?"

"Well, that's just me I guess. I think all people deserve respect, even if they aren't respectable."

He would have scoffed, but he was far too busy being surprised that someone could sound so genuine. Ignoring her concern, he asked, "Where are we going again?"

"My home in London."

"Right. What do you do for a living?"

Her hesitation was the first clue. "I work in a shop."

"You are totally lying. Come off it. No shop worker is 'always prepared' and has a laser pen. Very nice design, by the way. I'm guess that you got it from somewhere. Certainly not the Doctor. He wouldn't have a laser anything."

"I told you that I work in a shop."

"And I told you that you're lying."

She huffed. "I work in a shop. That's all you need to know."

"We need to start our relationship with honesty."

"That's ironic coming from you. I have a feeling you're lying through your teeth about something. Or maybe everything."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. You don't have to tell me where you work. Blimey."

"Good."

She resumed driving and the Master started to whine. "I'm starving. Can't we get food?"

"You Time Lords are all alike. Always thinking with your stomachs. Do you have a banana fetish too?"

"Please," the Master dismissed. "Although they are good."

Rose smiled at those words, ignoring the breaking of her heart. She couldn't believe that her Doctor was gone. She just couldn't.

In London on the other world, the Doctor had happened across the one and only Donna Noble. He stood outside of the TARDIS with her after his accidental adventure with living fat. She wanted to travel with him, so he agreed. At the moment, she was prattling on about how excited she was to see the universe.

"Donna," he stopped her politely. "I need help."

"Well, I would guess so. You are a bit barmy. I know a good therapist if you'd like the number."

"No, not that kind of help. I need help from you."

She pointed at herself. "Me? A temp from Chiswick? You are joking, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not. I need an extra pair of hands. I can't do it by myself."

"Oi, who do you think I am? I'm not some cheap streetwalker! I don't know what those other women did for you, but don't even think about it, sunshine! You're an alien. And so _skinny_!"

He put his face in his hands "Listen to me for a moment, all right? Remember how I told you that my friend was still lost?"

"…yeah…"

"Well, she might be in danger. There's this other Time Lord. He's called the Master and he is very dangerous. Some time ago, he caused a lot of trouble and found a way to escape. He went to a parallel world. That's where Rose is. If he can, he'll take over that Earth. He'll destroy the universe. I'm trying to stop him, if he already hasn't succeeded, but I can't do it alone. Will you help me?"

She grinned. "Oh, that's what you meant! Here I was thinking so many dirty things. That's what happens to you if you don't enjoy the company of a gentleman every now and again. Of course I'll help you, spaceman. I want to travel with you. See the stars. That is the point, innit?"

"Brilliant! Although, you should know that there is a chance that we won't be able to come back to this world."

Donna shrugged apathetically. "Not much for me here. Other than Gramps and Mum. We should pay them a visit before our journey! C'mon, mate. Shake a leg. We have things to do. People to save. Let's go get your friend."

They got into the TARDIS and swung around to wave farewell to her grandfather and mum. After that, the Doctor set a course. He had most of the parts that he needed, but there were still a few on the list. After that, he'd need an extra pair of hands to help him assemble the device. If it worked, the entire TARDIS would jump to the other world and have enough juice to take them home. If it didn't…well, he didn't want to think about that.

"So…" Donna began as she leaned on the railings. "Exactly how are we getting to this other world?"

"Through a gap. The jumper will search time and space for a single second of fluctuation. Once it finds it, we'll shoot through to the next world. I've found a way to calibrate it so that we'll arrive in the same time frame as the Master. At least, I think so. The entire thing is really just a theory. I wouldn't normally risk it, since so much is at stake, but—"

"What's at stake?" Donna interrupted.

He waffled. "Well, you know. If it doesn't work, we might accidentally rip a hole in both universes and cause them to collapse. I don't think that'll happen, though. Very small chance. Marginally small, really."

"Destroying two universes?" she shouted, smacking him in the arm. "Why would you risk something like that? Doctor, you could kill _billions _of people!"

"Trillions, actually," he spoke over her. "I know that. But, I have to try. You don't know the Master. What he's capable of."

She searched his face. "You're scared. You're really scared. What's so awful about this man?"

"He is not only power hunger but insane, and he has one of the highest intellects in the whole of the universe. This is not to mention his unending stubbornness and extraordinary ability to lie. He's resentful and sadistic. Takes pleasure in watching everyone else suffer. He'll destroy a planet for the sake of fun. And you can't reason with the man. He's simply _unreasonable_. We used to be mates, and I genuinely think that I can reach him. But, I have to stop him first. No one is safe as long he's out there."

"And your friend Rose is on this other Earth?"

"Yes."

She pointed at him accusingly. "You wouldn't be doing this if it was a random world, would you?"

"What?"

"This is about Rose. You're going there because of her."

"Not exactly."

"Yes exactly."

Huffing, he tried to explain things to his new friend. "The Master knows about her. I told him stories and he had a look at her file. He knows that she's on that world, and he will stop at nothing to hurt me. There's no doubt in my mind that he'll go after her and the entire planet. I won't let that happen. He's the last of my kind and that makes him my responsibility."

Donna softened. "I understand. You loved her."

"What? I didn't say anything about that."

"I'm not a dumbo! I can draw conclusions! Did you or did you not make a big deal about 'just wanting a mate' to me five minutes ago?"

He ran a nervous hand through his hair. "Okay, I did. But—"

"It's all right, Doctor. I told you that I understand. I've been in love before, and I'd have risked two universes to keep that person safe. Besides, I'll bet you miss her."

"I do. Honestly, I didn't even consider this jumper idea. It was too risky. Just a fable. But when he did it…I have to do this. If not for Rose, for that Earth."

The Doctor rushed around the console and Donna had to ask. "What did you tell the Master about Rose? Anything we should worry about?"

"I told him enough. If he met her, he'd be able to gain her trust. That's the last thing that should happen. I shouldn't have talked. I shouldn't have been."

"Been what, Doctor?"

"So bloody human. She might be in danger because I wanted to hold onto a few stupid trinkets."

"Stop it. You're being too hard on yourself. We'll get there and we'll find her. She'll be safe. What are the chances that they would have met anyway?"

He nodded in agreement. "You're right. It's highly unlikely. But, it isn't impossible."

On a parallel world, the Master and Rose Tyler were laughing and singing with the radio like nothing was wrong.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter Six: Meant for Each Other**_

They arrived at her father's estate many hours later. The Master was sleeping again, so she roughly shoved his shoulder. His head hit the car window and he awoke throbbing. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"We're here," she informed him with a cute little smile.

"You didn't have to slam me into the door," he mumbled as she got out and walked around to help him. She opened it and he sent her an irritated expression. "No, really. Thanks for that. I think I have a concussion now."

"Stop being so dramatic. Seriously, you're acting like a girl."

Her arm went around his waist and supported him as they walked. "Take that back. I am no such thing!"

"Yeah, you are. You've got the art of nagging down. I really think that you'll be a great housewife."

"Was that a marriage proposal?"

"You wish."

She opened the door and wandered into the living room. Pete and Jackie were there with her little brother. The parents stopped playing with blocks and stared at Rose and the Master. Jackie had a look of shock on her face while Pete's expression was blank. Footsteps broke the uncomfortable silence, as Mickey came down the stairs when he heard the door open.

"Who's this?" Pete asked with a gesture in the Master's direction.

"I'm the Master," he answered with a smile.

"We're calling you Harold Saxon," Rose snarled in response. "This is _Harold Saxon_. He's a Time Lord like the Doctor. They traveled together and apparently he came from the parallel world."

Mickey walked in behind them with a chuckle. "So what is he then? The Doctor's brother?"

"No no no no," the Master laughed. "We were old mates."

Jackie wasn't following. "So, you're a Time Lord like the Doctor from a parallel universe? I didn't think that was possible. The Doctor was the last one and we can't travel between worlds. Rose, this doesn't make any sense. He's got to be some lunatic that knows about us. Where on Earth did you dig him up?"

"I'll explain everything later. He is who he says he is. He just appeared on Bad Wolf Bay," Rose shrugged.

"I do that. Just appear," he agreed.

"Oh and he was shot. We need to get him a doctor. Quietly. Mum, why don't you get _Caddie_ to prepare a room for our guest?"

Jackie nodded in understanding. "Right. I will go do that right now."

After Jackie scooped up little Tony, they vanished into the hallway. Pete and Mickey stared at the Master curiously. He didn't know who these blokes were and why they were treating him like an animal at the zoo.

"Who are they?" the Master asked Rose indiscreetly.

"That's Pete Tyler. My dad. And Mickey Smith. An old friend. He traveled with the Doctor and me for a bit."

The Master studied Mickey. "You said he traveled with the Doctor? Huh. He never mentioned a Ricky. He's not even in the files."

Mickey made a noise in protest. "That's Mickey, mate. He never mentioned you either!"

"But I have a file," the Master stuck his tongue out. Rose pushed on his gunshot wound. "Ouch! Stop that!"

"Behave yourself," she warned.

After an uncomfortable few minutes, Jackie came back into the room. "We have a bedroom set up for you, Mr. Saxon. Why don't you lie down? I'll get you a cup of tea."

"Yes. Thank you. Some bloody tea. Not Norwegian sink water like _you_ got me, Rose."

She pressed into his stomach again as they walked. He winced and smiled at her. Once they got him settled into the bed, Jackie brought him some tea. He gulped it down and yawned, suddenly feeling very sleepy. Once he was out, they exited the room and entered the code. He was locked inside.

Rose fell into her mother's arms in sobs. "He says that the Doctor is dead. I don't want to believe him, but how can I know? He's a world away."

"Oh, Rose. I'm so sorry. Maybe he's lying. Can you even be sure he's who he says he is?"

She nodded. "He has two hearts, and there's this thing. A parallel world jumper. I have it in my bag. It's got Gallifreyan on the back. Plus, he knows things. He's at least talked to the Doctor. When he showed up, he was in handcuffs and gut shot. He claims that they were wrongfully detained and the Doctor was shot in the head. He managed to escape. I don't know if I buy that. The Doctor is very good at running."

"Well, we'll figure it out soon enough. He's in CADDIE now. No escaping that."

She had to remember to thank her father for that genius idea: Confinement And Detainment Disguised In Estates. She wasn't crazy about the name, but it did the trick. The Master was trapped in that bedroom. He wouldn't be able to leave if he tried. Rose retrieved her bag and gave the jumper device to her father for Torchwood to study. In the meantime, she asked for some time off to deal with the Time Lord. She truly believed that deep down he was good like the Doctor, and she was going to get to him. If she did, maybe he'd open up and tell the truth. And, _maybe_, that would lead her to the Doctor. He was alive…she'd bet her life on it.

The physician tended to the Master while he was still out. Jackie had laced his tea with heavy sedatives. Rose sat in a chair in the corner, observing. After the physician left, she waited for the Time Lord to wake. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around. His focus landed on Rose and he grinned.

"Rose. What a pleasant surprise! What are you doing here? Looking to use me as your punching bag for a bit?"

"Maybe later. I do have a big boxing match coming up. I'm pretty feisty. Quite a champion."

"Oh, I wouldn't doubt it. Has anyone looked me over?"

"Yeah. The doctors came and took care of you while you were out. You'll be just fine, but you need to take it easy for a few days."

He readjusted to a more comfortable position on the cushy bed. "I won't complain about that. Why are you way over there? I don't bite. Well, not unless someone asks first. Come closer. It won't kill you."

"Why should I?" she asked incredulously from across the room.

"Tell me about you. The Doctor only said so much. I've gathered some from yesterday, but I like to know my friends well. Who are you really, Rose Tyler?"

She stood up and moved to the side of his bed. "I'm the Bad Wolf. Defender of the Earth. The Valiant Child. And, I'm completely human. I want to help you, Mr. Saxon. If you'll let me, I will be your best friend in this world. But, I can't be your mate if you're going to betray my trust. No secrets. No lies. I don't make idle threats. I meant what I said. Don't even think about crossing me."

His chest purred. This woman was downright sexy. Lucy was nothing compared to her. Rose Tyler was exactly like the Doctor described. _Unstoppable_. No wonder he loved her so dearly. The Master was determined to keep this one for his own. A new world, a new life. With her. A final stab at the Doctor. He'd turn Rose into his bloodthirsty empress. They'd watch the world suffer together.

"I do believe that we'll be magnificent, Bad Wolf. You and me. This is the start of something brilliant."

She sensed darkness in his voice, but she figured that it was just a Time Lord trait. The Doctor could get that way. He extended his hand and she shook it. After that, she let go and moved to the door.

"Get some sleep, Harold. I'll wake you at breakfast."

"Quite right. I'll see you then. I look forward to it."

He watched her leave and clapped his hands together. The drums were raging. His fingers tapped the rhythm as he laughed. The Bad Wolf. How sinister. How adorable. It suited her. That blond hair. Golden brown eyes. Beautiful body. Lilting voice. And what a backbone! As far as humans went, this one couldn't be any more perfect. Fate was on his side when he appeared on the beach. It was like…they were _meant_ for each other, he supposed. And how the Doctor would cringe if he knew!

On the TARDIS, the Doctor and Donna were beginning to piece the jumper device together. Donna didn't know how to do much of anything with the TARDIS, so the Doctor was running out of patience.

"And this goes where?" she called from beneath the floor.

"Come on, Donna! There's a hole that's the same shape! It's like putting a puzzle together!"

"Well, I was never very good at those either! If you wanted me to file it alphabetically or draft a letter, I can help you. Once a temp—"

"Always a temp, yes I know. It should be a big hole on the dash with little wings. Like a flying block. Look for that."

"There are six of those!"

He put his face in his hands. At this rate, they weren't going to have it done for ages. What was the Master up to? Had he succeeded in destruction? He shivered at the unpleasant thoughts. The other Time Lord needed to stay away from his Rose. If he even touched a hair on her head…that would make things very simple. It was one thing to bastardize his TARDIS. It was one thing to hurt his friends. It was one thing to torment the Earth. But, this was a completely different story. No one messed with Rose Tyler. She was his universe. The Oncoming Storm was back with vengeance, and he didn't mind it one bit.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter Seven: Give You the World**_

The Master didn't know that he was in lockdown. Rose told him that he had to be on bed rest for a few days, so he listened. It gave them a chance to talk more. Three days later, he had partially gained her trust. To make sure that he wasn't suspicious about being kept in the same room, she felt comfortable with taking him onto the porch of the estate.

"Fresh air. Fantastic," he commented cheerfully.

"It really is," she agreed. "Just look at that sunset. Beautiful, isn't it?"

He stared at the Earth sunset and scoffed. "Please. You've seen better on other worlds. I know that I have. Gallifrey was the most stunning. Nothing can beat that. Red and orange. The stars burning, flames licking the horizon…"

She elbowed him and he winced. "Stop that. I'm not asking you to _compare_ it. Take it for what it is. It's pretty in its own right."

"Is that how you've been able to live here?" he asked her quietly.

Her face fell. "Yeah. I suppose so."

"And what have you been doing without the TARDIS? Wake up, eat breakfast, go to work, come back, sleep, repeat? The usual, wretched human existence?"

"Don't make it sound so wonderful," she giggled uncontrollably. "Yeah. You've got me pegged, Harold. That's my life. Great, isn't it?"

"Hardly. It's an embarrassment. Do you at least have some excitement somewhere?"

"The other day, a purple sock got into my white laundry. Everything I own turned lilac."

He whistled. "Now that is exciting. Riveting. You should write a novel about it. C'mon, Rose Tyler! There has to be _something_. Outstanding warrants? Moonlighting as an exotic dancer? Dating somebody? That Mickey, is he your man?"

"He was a very long time ago. We're not together anymore. That kind of ended when I ran off with the Doctor. I'm living the single life now. Really, the socks getting in the wash keep my nights very busy."

"I know that can't be enough," he responded intensely. "You want more than that. You'd have to. If you didn't, I'd have to call you barmy. That'd be a serious offense coming from me. I have high tolerance for that sort of thing."

She smirked at the eccentric Time Lord. "You're right. I do. I'd love to travel again."

"Too bad I don't have a ship. I'd take you places. Faraway places, of course. Galaxies away."

"Would you?" she asked incredulously.

"I would. I'd give you the world."

"I don't want the world."

He raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"

"Doesn't matter. It's not possible. Not anymore. What is it you want, Mr. Saxon?"

"I'd like the entire planet. Maybe even the universe. I want it to belong to me."

There was something dark about the way he said it. It made her shiver. "Why would you want that?"

"Why wouldn't I? I could do whatever I wanted. I could have all of the power. I could create a new Gallifrey."

"You don't need the entire universe to do that."

He was intrigued. "How do you mean, Rose?"

"Well, you can live however you'd like no matter what. You could have all of the power in your own life. Build your own Gallifrey on a smaller scale. You're like me. Stuck here without the TARDIS. You don't have the universe at your fingertips. So, you have to make your own way. Tell me one thing you want to do."

He thought about it, and had to filter it so he didn't scare her away with his devious plots. They'd get around to all that later on. First, he needed her on his side. Smiling, he finally chose to say, "I don't want to play by any rules."

"All right. I can work with that. Will you promise me something, Harold?"

"Of course."

"Do you swear that you'll behave yourself for one night?"

"Stop treating me like a child! I'm not going to throw a tantrum in public or slip out of whatever leash you put me on! You're not being fair!"

"All right, blimey. Calm yourself down. Let's just get going, yeah?"

They went back into the house. After grabbing a few mystery things, they piled into her car. She went as fast as humanly possible down the road, which amused the Master quite a bit. They reached their destination: a remote park. The road was blocked off, as it was after dark. Rose reached into her bag for the laser pen and left the vehicle. She sliced right through the chains and opened the entrance. The Master applauded as she returned.

"Very nice work. A masterpiece. And coming from the Master, that means a lot."

Chuckling, she drove speedily into the park. She helped him out of the car and grabbed the bag. They moved in silence until they got to a clearing. She sat him down and passed a bottle of whiskey. He smirked and took a swig.

"What exactly are we doing here, Bad Wolf?"

"Not playing by the rules, Mr. Saxon. We really shouldn't be here, and alcoholic beverages are strictly forbidden on these park grounds."

"What will the authorities do if they find us?"

"They'd probably arrest us. Not that we'd let them. I also brought some empty jars. I thought it might be fun to line them up and see who can use the laser pen to make them explode the fastest. We did a similar test when the pen fell into our hands. But, we wound up making a game of it. So, what do you say? Would you like to have a go?"

He grinned widely. "You are the best."

"I know."

On the TARDIS, Donna and the Doctor were carrying a very large piece of alien equipment. It took one extremely long adventure to procure it, and it was taking even longer to figure out how to attach it to the jumper device. Finally, they lowered it into place. It lit up and they embraced happily.

"We did it!" she cheered excitedly. "Look at me. I'm a regular spacewoman now."

"That you are. You've been genius. I couldn't have done it without you."

"Aw, stop it. I was awful before. Couldn't change a plug. But, you were so patient. Thank you for that. Anyone else would have chucked me into a nebula."

He chuckled. "I might have thought about it…"

"Oi!"

"You're the one that brought it up! Now, we're almost done. We just need the last part and we are ready for travel."

She didn't remember seeing any other parts. He set off to find it, but he quickly returned. His face was anxious and he ran about the room at top speed. Her hair flew as he darted by, causing her to pat it back into place and glare. "What are you flitting about for?"

"I can't find the last part. It was the smallest one. A little chip. Before you came along, I had to fight off an entire army of cherub looking creatures. They aren't as cute as they sound. It's a miracle I survived, to be honest. One arrow in the wrong direction I would be gone. Anyway, that chip was one of the last of its kind. I put it in a pair of old trainers to be sure that it wouldn't get lost or damaged."

Donna put a hand to her mouth. He paused, growing even more nervous. She motioned towards the hall. "You mean the white ones that turned tan from dirt outside of your room?"

"Yes. You've seen them?"

"Were the laces kind of frayed like something chewed on it?"

"Yeah. Those are them. Where are they?"

"Did the rubber sole on the back of the left one have black chars like it caught on fire?"

"Yes, it did."

"Never saw them."

He took a deep and calming breath. "Donna…what happened to those trainers? You have to be honest with me."

"Right, well, don't kill me. They stunk of swamp so I thought you'd set them out on purpose. You know, to…put in the bin."

"You didn't."

"I'm so sorry."

Silently, he sat on the seat and rubbed his face. That was it. It was all over. He'd never find that part ever again. Donna sat beside him with a pitiful expression and he put an arm around her. "I know that you were only trying to help."

"It might still be in there. I only tossed them this morning."

"No, they'll be gone by now. Without that part, we can't get to the other world. We can't find another one of them either. It was incredibly rare. Took me a month just to hunt one down."

She sighed and studied him closely. "Don't tell me that you're giving in."

"Of course not. He's made things very simple. He went to her world. There's no stopping me now. I just don't know what we can do."

"Well, if this thing is so bloody rare, maybe someone has collected them like you have. To study or something."

He grinned. "Donna, you are brilliant! We need to stop by Torchwood. I'd bet that they'd have one lying around. Jack told me to stop by anytime I'd like. No time like the present!"

At the park, Rose and the Master were well on their way to totally drunk. They had blown up several jars and laughed the entire time. It reminded Rose of laughing with the Doctor, but it wasn't the same. The Master was having a wonderful time, to his surprise, and didn't mind lying in the grass with a human girl. She was pointing at the stars, asking questions.

"It's the same sky," he hiccupped. "Same one as the other world. Well, maybe a little bit wanker."

"Wanker?" Rose howled with laughter. "Don't you mean wonky?"

"What'd I say?"

"_Wanker_."

"Why are you calling me a wanker?"  
They died with giggles.

"No, no seriously…how many of those have you been to?" she asked in a moment of slight sobriety.

"More than you, earth girl."

"Oi, watch how you say things. I will hit you. You wouldn't want that."

"Rosie Tyler, always giving threats. Can I call you Rosie?"

She shrugged and took a nip from the bottle. "I don't care, Harry Saxophone."

"Harold Saxon."

"What'd I say?"

"Harry Saxophone."

"Oh, you should change it to that. It's got a nice sound."

"Harry Saxophone? Really? Rosita Trombone is you then."

She giggled and nudged him with her elbow. "Stop it."

"_You_ stop it."

They chuckled and she sighed sadly. "Well, I can't drive us back. We have to stay here. Unless you want to regenerate and peal my corpse from the bonnet."

"No. I'm quite all right here," he admitted, oddly comfortable. Honestly, he didn't want to move. He noticed that she shivered and offered his arm. "Body warmth saves lives. Proven fact."

Reluctantly, she moved into his side and set a tentative head on his shoulder. "I can't believe I got _this_ smashed and broke into a park. It's like I'm sixteen again. Not that it's a bad thing. You're fun when you're drunk. I sort of like you. You're not bad. But don't remember I said that."

She drifted off first and he continued to grin, counting the drums and envisioning the parallel Earth come into his control. He thought of something else. Rose. She was laughing and smiling in his mind. The thought made him get butterflies. Yes, this one was something else. His good mood slipped when he heard Rose talking in her sleep.

"Doctor?" she mumbled.

The Master scowled, answering in a hiss, "He's gone. You're mine now."


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Eight: Patience **_

They woke with horrid hangovers and lethargically went back to the car. After driving home in silence, they exited the car and entered the estate. On the way to the Master's room, Pete and Mickey were in an adjacent area discussing work at Torchwood. Unfortunately, the Master overheard.

"We can't get the ship to work. There's something wrong with the engine and no one knows how to fix it. It's just been mental without Rose. Everyone is scrambling to fill in, but we don't have the experience she does. It's funny how much she picked up traveling with the Doctor," Mickey admitted to Pete, not knowing that they could hear him.

The Master smiled at the dismayed look on Rose's face. "You work at Torchwood? I knew you were lying about the shop."

"Just pretend you don't know that," she attempted. It didn't work.

"Why don't you take me to Torchwood? I bet that I could help."

"I don't trust you."

He acted offended. "After everything we've been through? And what about last night? You said that you liked me."

"I told you _not_ to remember that. Anyway, you might be a Time Lord, but I barely know you."

"Oh, come on! I built a parallel world jumper. Imagine what else I could do. Torchwood could use someone like me. Please, Rosie. I'm going mad just sitting around the house. You can take me for one visit. See how it goes."

She knew that he was incredibly sharp based on the device he built, so maybe he could help around Torchwood. But, that didn't mean that she'd let him out of her sight. Upon talking to her father, the Master was given a one day pass. Excitedly, he got ready and joined them on the ride to work. She had a bad feeling about it.

The Master wasn't impressed with this version of Torchwood. It was all right, but he'd have to do a lot of work to get everything ready. As soon as he did, he could put his plan into place. He wanted to join with another alien race just as he did before. Humans would do anything to save themselves, so as long as he could control their fear he'd have the world. Without the Doctor and his friends, it'd be a breeze to achieve world domination…and keep it that way.

"Just like that," the Master explained as he fixed the broken ship for Mickey and his crew.

"We've been trying to crack that for a month. You did it in less than five minutes," Mickey responded in amazement.

"Four minutes and twenty-nine seconds, to be precise. What else needs mending? C'mon, be quick about it. I'm only here for today! Onwards, upwards, over, and back again! We have things to do!"

Three hours later, the Master had fixed, completed, created, and finished everything in the Torchwood queue. He clapped his hands and sent a wink in Rose's direction. "There you are. All straightened out. I noticed that the loo is leaking on the fourth floor. I could fix that if you'd like. Or, is there anything more exciting to do?"

"You've done everything…" Pete muttered in shock. "How on Earth did you do that?"

"Well, I'm not from Earth. That might have something to do with it. Just a bit. Have I earned a full-time job or not?"

"You're in," Pete answered as he shook the Master's hand. "Welcome aboard. Everyone can go home for the day. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow."

People filed out of the room and Mickey motioned to the door. "Aren't you lot coming? We drove together."

"Why don't we stay in London?" the Master suggested to Rose. "Get some chips."

"All right…" she nodded hesitantly.

Mickey left them and Torchwood shut down while they were still in the room. The Master leaned against the wall with an arrogant smirk. "I told you that I could help."

"Yeah. You did. Why exactly are we staying in London? I'm not buying this chips bit, and even if I did I'm not paying for it. No cheap dates."

"Clever girl. Of course we aren't staying here! There is one last thing to do. That broken ship isn't broken anymore, but no one has gone for a test flight. What do you say? You, me, the stars?"

She rolled her eyes. "We can't do that. It's against regulations."

"No rules, Bad Wolf. I know that you miss it. The big black. The whole of the universe just beyond the thin glass. So thin you feel like you can reach out and touch it. Space. Stars. Planets. Nebulas. Besides, I did tell you that I'd take you there, didn't I? All I ask is one spin. We'll put it back and no one has to know but you and me. It'll be our little secret."

During this, he had moved closer and closer. His body was inches from hers and he had that wolfish grin. His words were so tantalizing. She missed it all, and here this man was offering to give it back. Even if it wasn't allowed and it was only a moment, she had to go. She wouldn't be herself if she didn't. Smiling, she darted towards the small craft. He chuckled and ran in pursuit.

Together, they got into the small craft and he powered it up. Naturally, he put on the cloak just before taking off through the hangar. Flying through the air, they burst into the atmosphere with a trail of smoke. She had a very happy expression on her face, and he felt his chest purr. He enjoyed seeing Rose Tyler so happy. What? He didn't think that. No, he was just glad that she was starting to trust him. He didn't care about her emotions. She had to like him for his plan to work. That was all it was…

"Here we are! Orbiting Mars!" he announced as he set it to auto control.

She stood up and went to the window with a sad smile. "There it is. Space. I can see the stars up close and personal."

"No need to thank me. I wanted to come here," he laughed conceitedly, which got her chuckling as well.

When he went to embrace her, she moved away. "We should get back before someone figures out we took this."

"Everyone went home. We have plenty more time, and you know that we do. Why are you so ready to leave? We just got up here. I would think that after who knows how long you'd want to wait around to the last possible second."

"It just doesn't feel right. I'm sorry, but I can't be up here like this. It's not the TARDIS."

"You mean that it's not the Doctor," he rephrased with anger burning his hearts. "You have to accept that he is never coming back. He's dead and gone."

"Yeah. Maybe so. But, not to me. Not yet."

He stepped forward and snatched her hand. "You said that we shouldn't compare. We should take things as they are. Don't compare me to him. We're two different people. Did he come here? Did he come back to you? No. He didn't. And how about me? I'm standing here right in front of you, offering you the universe."

She grew silent and he looked intently at her face. Almost tenderly, he reached out and brushed her cheek. He told himself that this was a game. It was a challenge. He wanted to win her, claim her as his. Maybe he was just that way. Maybe it was to hurt the Doctor. But, he wouldn't accept that it was deeper than that. It had to be anything _but_ that. The Master didn't care about anyone but himself. He wasn't capable of love. He didn't want to be. Villainous. That was him.

Then, why wasn't he thinking about anything but how the glow of Mars caught her eyes?

"What exactly are you saying?" she whispered, suppressing a shiver.

Automatically, he slipped off his suit coat and draped it around her shoulders. Silently, he adjusted it and put on a smile. "I think that you'll learn that I'm everything you want. Nothing could stop us if we were together."

"Seriously?" she smirked as he frowned. "I've known you a few days—maybe a week—and you'd like us to be…a thing?"

"Yes. If you can trust me. And you can. I promise. I wouldn't lie to you."

"I think you would. I think that you might be."

He scowled at how stubborn she was. "What would it take to have you at my side?"

"Time. It would take time. You told me that the man I love is dead. I'm not exactly over that yet. Humans don't turn about and fall out of love overnight. Maybe, I can let go. Maybe. But, you have to be patient."

Patient? He could be patient. It took eighteen months before, and he could wait eighteen months again. He'd just have to work a bit harder for this girl than he did Lucy. It'd be worth it. More than worth it. It's all he wanted. Wait, and world domination. Can't forget that. Nodding, he stepped away from her and returned to the controls. "I'll hold you to that, Rosie."

She didn't think that even with all the time in the world she'd be over the Doctor. This Master person wasn't him. They had similarities, and the Master had the same Time Lord charm. He was smart, funny, attractive, and every now and again he seemed genuinely gentle. Then again, there were times she was convinced that he'd do horrible things. She felt that way about the Doctor at first too. Yeah, time. That's what would tell all…

In the other Torchwood, Captain Jack Harkness was helping the Doctor find the part that he needed. Donna was watching them, more appropriately Jack's bum, as they sifted through the pile on hands and knees. Jack held one up. "Like this?"

"Sort of, but a bit smaller and with a curved end," the Doctor responded, instantly adding, "Don't even go there, Jack."

He grinned. "You're taking the fun out of this, Doctor. So how's this one?"

The Doctor smiled and held it closer to his brainy specs. "Perfect! Thank you, Jack! You are a life saver!"

"Don't mention it. So, you're really doing this? You're really jumping to the other world?"

"I have no choice," he replied quietly.

Jack accepted it with a pat on the Doctor's back. "Hey, it's for your girl. I believe in you. How will this work, though? The whole TARDIS will jump?"

"Yep. It'll find a small fluctuation in the walls between universes and it'll send us through."

"Won't that be a problem? What if the gap is fifty years from when the Master went through?" Jack questioned nervously.

"I've calibrated it. We should arrive either within minutes or months of when he got there."

"Months? How many months? What if you're too late?"

"Could be as long six or seven. If we're too late, we try to set it right. We did it before and we'll do it again."

"Well, he did it before. It's my first time," Donna added.

Jack winked. "Nice. The first time is _always_ the most special."

"Enough of that. We have to get going. Sorry if the universe collapses," the Doctor sighed as he hugged Jack goodbye.

"Eh, don't worry about it. We all do stupid things when we're in love."

"Did I say love?" the Doctor asked while they walked to the TARDIS.

"I'm not a dumbo!" Jack shouted back with a wave. "Fly safe, kids. Tell Rose hello from me and that you can't live without her!"

"He will. I'll make sure!" Donna called.

"Must you always put words into my mouth? Aren't the words coming out of your mouth enough?" the Doctor grumbled as he shut the door behind him.

"Oi! Watch it, spaceman!"

In a wheeze, the TARDIS began to disappear.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter Nine: He Really Did Like This One**_

One month had passed on Rose's world. The Master worked beside her Torchwood, and he seemed to be on the side of good. Naturally, this was a front. When people weren't looking or he was alone, he would discreetly put things in place. He had already written secret protocols to allow him to command half of the Torchwood resources. It was hidden in code, so no one was the wiser. Whenever he helped fix the alien items recovered from space, he'd add special features that only he could use. He had even started the process of finding an alien ally. As for Rose Tyler, he was pulling out all of the stops, hoping that he was close to romancing her completely.

However, there was one little problem. He really did _like_ this one…and it terrified him completely.

"C'mon, mate. You have to…" she laughed elatedly.

The Master pulled a face and held out his arms. Little Tony Tyler was placed in them, and the Master held him far from his chest with a blank look. "What do I do with it?"

"_It _is a _he_. His name is Tony. Put him on your lap."

"What if the infant soils my suit? This was an expensive outfit. Imported from Italy. Very fine materials. Very fine man. In fact, you are next to the finest man in the finest suit in the universe. No human child is going to ruin my fine rating. I'm sitting at five stars right now. _Five stars_."

"He's got a diaper. Just deal with it. Blimey, you're a total wimp."

Glaring, he held the kid closer and inspected the blond boy curiously. "I'm a Time Lord, Rosie. I don't do domestics. The whole thing is making me queasy."

"I've heard that one before. Give me a year. I'll have you housetrained. Now, shut it. The Teletubbies are on."

The Master and Tony directed their attention to the bright show, giggling at the fun songs and televisions in their stomachs. Rose enjoyed watching them interact. Once the show was over, she put Tony down for a nap and grabbed the Master by the hand. They went into the back garden and sprawled out on her coat.

"Look at that one. It looks kind of like a Dalek," she commented as she pointed at the clouds.

He grinned. "And that one over there looks like a duck. I can practically see it quaking! Hello, ducky!"

"I find a Dalek and you find a duck. You're spending too much time watching cartoons with Tony on Saturdays."

"Oh, shut up. Cartoons are brilliant. You're never too old to have a second childhood, especially if your first one wasn't wonderful."

That caused her to look at him carefully. "And you didn't have a good one?"

"No. Dreadful. My people take the children at eight years old to join the Academy. Initiation is when they make you look into the Untempered Schism. That's this gap in the fabric of reality. You can see the whole of the vortex. And you stare at it. The raw power. Space. Time. Just a child. Looking into all that. It's the first time I heard the drums. They've never stopped. I don't know who I'd be without that sound…but sometimes I wonder…."

Had he just poured out his hearts to her? She didn't torture him. She didn't push him. She didn't force him in any way. He _volunteered_ it. There was no sense in that. It was impossible. The Master couldn't have said all that, could he? If he did, that meant that he _wanted_ to talk to her. He _wanted_ to share with her. What else did he want? No…he didn't. He refused to even think it.

"That sounds awful. I'm sorry they did that. If it makes you feel any better, I've meant to tell you that you're a bad influence on me."

Glancing, he felt a smile. "That is the best kind. How have you come to this conclusion?"

"The drums get stuck in my head sometimes. You're always tapping it. It's become a habit for me. Whenever I tap my fingers or whatever, I do it in beats of four. Thanks for that."

"You're welcome. Is it there now?"

"Not this second. You'll have to wait for it, Harold. It'll come up. Speaking of that, are you going to tell me your real name?"

He rolled his eyes. "I did. You won't address me properly. Harold Saxon is my human name. Purely a disguise. It had a nice ring to it. Made me sound trustworthy to you people. But, I do prefer it when I am addressed as Master."

"And that fact would entertain mental health professionals for decades. Now, I have a question. It's stupid, but I really want to know. Is everyone from Gallifrey given a title like that? Is there a Mistress, Saint, Duke, Professor, Count, and so on? Won't you run out of titles, or do you reuse them? I'm just wondering here. It's all a bit weird if you ask me."

Laughing, he shook his head. "We pick our titles, but we do have other names."

"And why don't you lot ever _use_ them? Seriously, what if I went around asking to be called the Empress?"

"I'd call you that."

"You would not."

"I would too! You are an empress, just like I'm a master."

She gave him an incredulous expression. "No, I'm not. I'm Rose Marion Tyler. A person's real name is the most intimate thing. It means that you know them. You know who they are. And let's face it, I absolutely hate that your supposed name is the _Master_. And, I don't like calling you a name that isn't the real thing. But whatever, mate. I'll keep calling you Harold. Works all right, I guess."

"Koschei," he murmured before he knew that he had said it.

"What was that?"

"That's my name, you idiot. Koschei. But don't you dare call me that in front of another living soul. I mean it. You're the only one allowed to know, got that?"

She smiled gently at him. "I swear that I won't tell anyone. It's our secret, Koschei."

The way she said it gave him chills. He hadn't been called that in ages. His arm slipped around her and she didn't pull back. They looked at the sky in silence. He could distinctly hear something other than the drums. When he looked, she was idly tapping a hand to her hip. One two three four. One two three four. His chest swelled. Could it be that the demented, immoral, sadistic Master genuinely _liked_ being with the human girl? That she wasn't just a plaything? But he was heartless, a wolf in sheep's clothing. Still…this was different.

It was Rose Tyler.

"All right, I really do have things to do this afternoon. I'll see you inside, yeah?" she asked as she slipped from his grasp and stood.

He got onto his feet with a frown. "What things?"

"Boring, human chores. Why don't you watch the television? It's still on cartoons."

Smiling, he got her by the wrist and they went inside together. Before she left, she said that she'd find him before dinner. She muttered his real name and he felt the same tingly feeling. Upon collapsing on the couch, he turned on cartoons and felt his eyelids drooping. He drifted into a light sleep, but dreams plagued his mind. He saw Gallifrey burning as the Doctor laughed. The drums were booming. One two three four. One two three four. Destruction surrounded him. The people of Gallifrey pointed accusingly, saying that it was his fault for running away. It was his fault for hiding like a coward. They had no choice but to put the Doctor on the frontlines. And he's the one that killed them all. It was the Master's doing. He was the cause for their demise. It was _all _him…and he felt like God.

But, Rose suddenly appeared. He showed her the destruction. Reveling in the flames, he offered the power to her. It could all be hers if she said the word. With a disapproving glance, she shook her head and walked away. He could hear her crying, even over the drums. When he went to follow her, the ground ripped between them. He called her name over and over again, but she wouldn't come back. She left him standing in the debris. Alone, the Master felt his hearts breaking to the beat. One two three four. The Wolf ripped him in two.

"Koschei?" Rose called hesitantly when she found him on the couch hours later.

He woke screaming and shaking. When he saw her, he pulled away and held his head. One two three four one two three four…repeat. She didn't like to see anyone in so much distress, and she had started to count the strange Time Lord as a friend. Cautiously, she moved closer and got in front of him on the floor. He refused to make eye contact and hunkered down in the corner of the couch.

"What's wrong? You can talk to me."

"The drums. They're getting closer. Can you hear them? They're calling to me. It's what I was made for. It's why they brought me back. I'd be the perfect warrior. It's who I am. Oh, the rhythm…it's intoxicating. It fills me. But I don't understand. I can't explain it. I was broken. Why'd you go?"

She blinked in confusion. "Go where?"

"You left. You walked away and ignored me when I called for you. Why'd you do that?" he demanded, growing incredibly angry. She backed away nervously at the edge in his voice.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I've been right here."

"Oh, please. I saw it with my own eyes. You kept going. You wouldn't listen!"

"When? You've been asleep all afternoon. I just got down here for dinner about a minute ago."

He began to piece together that it was a dream. Breathing, he managed to calm himself. "Right. Well. For future reference, don't do that."

"Do what? Walk away?"

"Yeah. I need you with me."

"Why's that then?" she wondered softly.

"You're Rose Tyler. What's for dinner? Tell me it's something good."

"I haven't checked."

He stood up and took her hand. She reluctantly followed him into the kitchen. There was just something off about the whole thing. They sat down to a large dinner before bed and he seemed to bounce right back. He had her laughing and smiling in no time, but inside he wasn't as sound. There was only so much patience a man could have, especially since he feared the worst.

This girl meant more than most.

On the TARDIS, the Doctor connected the last piece of the puzzle. The parallel world jumper sprung to life and he happily embraced Donna. "We did it! You were genius, Donna. Absolutely genius."

"I was, wasn't I? I'm not your best mate for nothing. Do we have a plan going into this other world or not?"

"Well, obviously we don't want to rip apart the universes."

Donna nodded. "Yeah, that'd be well bad."

"Yeah, just a bit. After that, we have to find the Master. I should be able to track him down rather quickly."

"And Rose."

He smiled almost giddily. "Yeah. And her."

"Look at you grinning away! I've never seen you so happy. What is it about her that makes her so different?"

"So many things. Too many. She has a way of getting to people. Even the unreachable."


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter Ten: Both Hearts**_

The Master had been with Rose Tyler for almost five months. His plan to take over the world was within reach. Everything was in place, though that was one of the last things on his mind. Sure, he wanted the world and the universe to be his. Except, there was a different conquest. It had become the most important. He sat awake at night trying to comprehend what the hell had happened to him. He felt a high when he took Earth and lived the Year that Never Was. All that pain and destruction was like a fine and rare wine. His life thrived on suffering and power. Sure, it'd be nice to feel that again. Only now, he felt the same satisfaction…from a human.

Even though he spoke every known language in the universe, he could not explain it. When he fell onto Bad Wolf Bay, he dreamt of trying again. Of taking it all for his. And then some blond waltzed over and took him home with her. He wanted the universe, all right. But, he wanted it so that he could share it _with her_. He wanted to give it _to her_. Impossibly, her good nature and winning smile turned him from a fierce lion into a little kitten. He hated it…but he _loved_ it. He loved _her_. It was thought to be impossible, but that was who she was. And it was _love_.

Damn it all.

"No, I'm serious! This is my serious face," he told her as he pulled a dramatically stoic expression. "If you say no, I will fall to microscopic pieces all over this very shiny floor and your poor servants will have to scoop me up in their vacuum. Do you want to harm the poor servants? Do you want there to be bits of Time Lord strewn about? No, of course you don't. It's a silly question. By this logic, you do have to agree."

She smirked at his peculiar manner, ignoring the pang of grief that always hit her when something reminded her of the Doctor. This moment had. The Master put his hands together in a pleading motion and she sighed in defeat.

"Yes, all right? Will you stop it now? You've been on about this for a week."

"It's a date! Finally, a proper date! I have you all to myself at long last!"

He pulled her into his arms for a victory dance. She laughed as he twirled her around the kitchen. They danced together for a bit before Rose put an end to it. "I should get my things before I change my mind."

"Right! Go on then! What are you waiting for?"

Once she had her things together, they got into her car and wandered into the city for a first date. She wasn't necessarily ready to move past the Doctor, but she had waited around for a very long time. Besides, the Master nagged and nagged and nagged. Genuinely, she liked the man. Maybe it could be more than that. Still, he wasn't_ her _Time Lord…the one with sonic screwdrivers, great hair, brainy specs, and French catchphrases. She knew that she'd have to accept that no one was sooner or later.

After getting some dinner and seeing a horrid film, they went for a walk in a local park. She was telling a story about her childhood on the other Earth, and he was actually listening. He discreetly took her by the hand and they continued to wander in silence. Finally, they sat by a pond on a bench and he had his arm around her.

"You're an incredibly cunning woman," he informed her with a devious grin. "A person like you could do so many things. Wonderful things. Magnificent! I could list every synonym for that in every language for you, and you'd be able to do it. You do know what you're capable of, don't you?"

"Yeah. I know."

"But you aren't doing any of it now."

"Well, I do what I can. It's not like I have a TARDIS and the whole of time and space as my playground."

He moved closer. "What if I could give you all of the world? Every last piece and person. It wouldn't stop there. I could give you every world in every corner of the galaxy. Even further."

"Wow, you're laying the romantics on thick, aren't you?" she chuckled.

"I'm serious, Rosie. Wouldn't you like that?"

She gave him a small shrug. "I don't know what I'd like. For my first nineteen years, I was this nobody from London. Then, I was a time traveler. Saving worlds and people. Where I am now? I want my old life back, but I know that it won't happen. Too much time has passed. Torchwood isn't making me happy. But, will anything make me happy? That's what I really wonder. Listen to me going on. Sorry about that. Such a downer, wasn't it?"

"Why don't you try something new? You could try with me. It's not the same as the past, but it could be even better."

"I'm sorry…I don't know what to tell you because I don't know what I'm thinking. It's all blur at the moment."

He chuckled lightly. "That's a good thing. Tell you what, I can see in your head. Will you let me do that? Learn what you really want?"

They locked eyes and she nodded silently. Carefully, he put his fingers to her temples and shut his eyes. At first, he only found memories of her early life. Then, like a brick wall, he was stopped. There was still a portion of the Time Vortex locked away. It was protecting the rest of her head, probably a failsafe put in by the Doctor somehow. While he tried to get around it, Rose was inside of his head as well. She could hear the drums pounding. She saw so many things and felt his emotions. It was terrifying…but only because that's how he felt. The Master was scared to death.

"It's so loud…" she whispered quietly.

"What?" he asked distractedly, still battling the Time Vortex wall.

She listened. "The drums. One two three four. One two three four."

Quickly, he pulled away and the noise stopped. "You heard them?"

"Yeah. What'd you see?"

"The Bad Wolf. Nothing else. Sorry, but you were in my head?"

"What, it doesn't work that way? I thought that it was like that Star Trek moment. You know, my mind to your mind, your thoughts to my thoughts. That stuff Spock says when he does that melding thing."

He studied her closely, ignoring her rambles. "What else did you get from my head?"

"You were so scared. I felt it. Why are you afraid, Koschei?"

After the shock wore off, he tried to seem unbothered. "I'm never scared. The Master is a force to be reckoned with. Nothing can ever reach me, and it never will."

"Not buying it. I know you're terrified. What it is? I really want to know."

"I'm not going to tell you."

She frowned. "I give you an all access pass to my head out of trust, and you can't answer one question? What kind of bloke are you?"

"I'm an angry villain who takes pleasure in being the most powerful and vicious man in the universe. No mercy. No sympathy. Just suffering. That's who I am, Rose."

"You want me to believe that?"

"Why don't you?"

"Have you noticed how you're holding my hand?"

His eyes drifted down to the light grasp he hand on her. Quickly, he let go and she laughed. He scowled. "Stop it. I mean it. Don't you dare mock me."

"Or what? What will you do?"

He swallowed dryly and held her eyes. "Don't test me."

"You wouldn't do anything. You couldn't, could you?" she murmured as she searched his angry expression. "Oh my God…that's it. That's why you're so scared, isn't it? You actually like me and that's got you completely terrified."

"Please. You're being stupid. I don't like you."

She laughed hard at that. "Then why have you begged me to go out with you? Why are we out right now?"

"Because I love you."

That stopped them both dead.

"You…love me?" she repeated slowly.

"Apparently. This is new for me. I can't say I like it. Human emotion. It makes you weak. Pathetic race with your pathetic feelings. I was like God once. I was above all this. And then I met you. It keeps me awake, wondering where I went wrong. Where it happened. Every time, I trace it back to that damn bay. I hate it. I really hate it. The warm, fuzzy feeling from _love_. From both hearts beating to your name. It's sickening. You're as loud as the drums. The noise. It won't stop. I used to be happy with sorrow, but now I want _you_. I want us. I want this. I need this. The Master needs a human girl. I never thought that I'd see the day…but here it is. Love. I love you. I know that this is where you need to be. At my side as my empress. That's how I'd treat you, my Bad Wolf. I'd give you everything. Even the stars."

"I really like you, but I don't…" she whispered sadly.

"Not yet. But you will. I know you will. We met for a reason, and I know what it is now. We're meant to be together. Use that Time Vortex and see the universe like I do. This is our future. You are my future."

Before she could answer, he kissed her roughly. She didn't kiss him back at first, as all she could remember was the Doctor. Finally, she returned the kiss with some hesitation. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. They pulled apart and she looked away with a frown.

"It'd be a _long_ time before I could give you my heart."

"I'm all right waiting. Give me a chance. Join me. Together, we can build an empire. I can make you more powerful than you've ever been. Let me. I offer myself. Both hearts. I know you better than anyone else. I can understand. Believe in the life we could share."

Her resistance was wearing down. He had an honest smile and seemed to be authentic. Still, she had learned to never trust a soul so easily. Eventually, she decided to give him an answer. As much as it pained her, she knew that she needed to start her life over.

"All right. I'll trust you. Let's see where this can go."

"Together? You'll be at my side no matter what?"

"Yeah. I won't walk away from you."

Joyously, he embraced her and placed a kiss on her forehead. Plans and plots shuffled around his mind. There was no stopping them now. They'd have everything, and he was happy to give it to her. If the Doctor could see him now, how jealous he would be! Of course, he'd probably die from shock. The one fib the Master hadn't told was his love for the human. As twisted as it was, he couldn't help it. He tried to forget it, but there was no going back. He felt how he felt, and he was going to use it to his advantage. He wasn't going to go weak.

The rest of the night, he kept her in arm's reach. She wasn't comfortable with his constant contact, but she had known him for months. Sincerely, she thought that she could make him better. Maybe that was enough. Maybe it would become love just like it did with the other Time Lord. And, maybe he was right. Maybe it could be better than before. Not that she was holding her breath. It'd be hard to erase her Doctor, and she figured it was damn near impossible. Still, it wasn't like the Doctor was coming to get her.

Miles from London on a deserted bay, the sounds of the TARDIS mixed with the ocean. Inside, Donna had her eyes shut and fingers crossed. The Doctor was on edge. He knew that it was an irresponsible risk to take, especially for personal reasons. If the universes were destroyed, he'd never forgive himself. Well, it wasn't like he'd have much time to spend feeling guilty.

When they felt the TARDIS land safely, they paused. Donna opened one eye and looked around while the Doctor grinned and half chuckled. She let out a squeal and flew into his arms. "We did it!"

"So it seems! Let's make sure we're in the right place," he answered less enthusiastically. For all he knew, they were still on their world and the jumper failed.

Cautiously, he opened the TARDIS door and stuck his head out. The waves shimmered in the moonlight and he swallowed all of the bad memories. This was the place. There was no doubt about it. He turned to Donna and nodded in confirmation. They were in Pete's World.

Instantly, the Doctor grabbed his equipment and set to work in the dark. Donna explored the area, as she couldn't tell which end was up on his little tools. She smiled at the pretty landscape, asking, "How's it coming, spaceman?"

"There's a very faint signature. Someone has passed through the void within the last year. Could be a month, could be six or seven. I can't be sure. But, he was here."

She laughed excitedly. "Look at us! We are brilliant! So, what's next? Hop in the TARDIS and pop over to London? He would be in London, wouldn't he?"

"Yeah. I'm almost certain of it."

"Great! Let's go! Or, what is it you say? Something about Allen and seas?"

"_Allons-y_. There's a bit of a problem I didn't explain…"

"What kind of problem?" she drawled slowly.

Sighing, he motioned to the dark TARDIS. "It feeds of the energy of our universe. Now that the momentary gap has closed, it has no power."

"…no power? So we're stuck here then? Oi, you said we'd get back!"

"We will. I have a secondary source. We just can't use the TARDIS while we're here. It'll drain the power and we won't have enough to get back."

"We're in bloody Norway! How are we getting to London? How are we getting back? You want us to walk?"

"Yep. Pretty much."

"You have to be joking."

"Just until we get to a town. Then, we get a car."

That calmed her down a bit. "How far is the nearest town?"

"Well, Bergen is fifty miles…"

"_Fifty miles_?!"

He winced at her voice. "Louder, Donna. I don't think that they heard you in _Africa._"

"Oi, don't get smart with me. It'll be a long walk if you keep acting so cheeky."

"It'll be even longer if you keep shouting."

After getting more suitable shoes and locking the TARDIS, they started their very long walk towards civilization.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter Eleven: It's Time for Action**_

The following morning, Rose stumbled out of her bed with a sleepy expression. She hadn't gotten in until almost four. The Master took her walking all over London. It was a fun time, but she was spent. Yawning and not bothering with more than a robe, she opened her door to discover the Master hanging about. "Morning, Rosie."

"Morning. What're you doing out here?"

"I heard your alarm from my room. And, I wanted to give you this," he held out a small trinket. It was a glass rose stained a deep red.

"Where'd you get it? It's gorgeous…" she asked with a large grin.

He frowned. "_I_ made that, you idiot. That's _my_ handiwork. Turn it over. It's got Gallifreyan etched in the glass. I used one of the jars from the kitchen."

"When did you have time for it? This had to have taken you weeks."

"A genius like me? I made it last night when we got back. It's a broach. You pin it on with the small hook. Enough talking. I'm starving. I hope there's sausage."

She took his arm and they wandered into the kitchen where Jackie was feeding Tony, Pete was reading the paper, and Mickey was shoveling food into his mouth. They all stopped what they were doing and stared at the couple. Mickey laughed at the sight and held out a hand. Both Jackie and Pete grumbled and groaned, forking over five quid a head.

"What's all this then?" Rose wondered as she sat beside the Master at the table.

"It was a bet," Pete explained. "I said it'd take you at least six months, Jacks said it'd be never, and Mickey said it'd be under six. He wins. No wonder the pair of you came in so late. Don't tell me any more than that."

"I still don't get it. What'd take me under six months?" she inquired, causing Mickey to chuckle.

"C'mon Rose. This is you we're talking about. You can't resist a Time Lord. It's just not possible. I knew you'd get together. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't run off with him the first time you met."

Rose scowled and threw a piece of bread in his direction. The Master grinned and pointedly put one arm around her. His lips went to her cheek. "That's right. We're together. It's a new era. A new reign. We're unstoppable."

"That's all well and good, but I don't like it one bit…" Jackie snapped with a softer look to Rose. "Rose, if you really are sure about it, I will support you. But."

"Don't start. Just don't," Rose warned, knowing that her mother would say something about the Doctor. Jackie still didn't trust the Master, and for good reason.

After an awkward breakfast, they left for Torchwood. The Master finished work even faster than usual. He sent his crew home, including Mickey, and happily ran to Rose. He pulled her into his arms and snogged half her face off. Giddily, he went to the console. Everything was finally ready. They could take the stage as the new rulers of Earth. He couldn't wait to give it to her.

"Rosie, I have a secret I'd like to share."

"All right. Share away."

He pulled up his hidden commands, all in Gallifreyan. With the touch of a screen, he opened communications with a distant race known as the Hotspurlians. They looked like puddles of clay, but they were some of the fiercest warriors in the parallel universe. Rose saw the feed and went to the Master's side with a curious smile.

"These your mates?" she wondered, laughing softly.

"They are! They're more than that. Allies, Rosie. Our good friends. Hotspurlians. I have a translator, so you should be able to understand them. That there is Halmono. Hello, Hal, my pal! How are you?"

"Fine. Is everything in order?"

"Oh, most certainly it is. This is the woman I told you about. Say hello."

Rose waved shyly. "Hello."

"The Bad Wolf herself. A pleasure. Then, she is ready? She will be at your side as discussed?" Hal wondered.

He turned to her with a charming smile, extending his hand. "Your last chance to run away."

Cautiously, she stepped forward and put her arms around him. "If I run, it'll be towards the trouble."

"That's my girl! You heard it first, Hal. The plan begins right now. Move in. We'll be waiting."

Hal's clay-like body rippled in confirmation. "Yes, Master. We will be there shortly. I look forward to meeting you in person."

"Bye bye!" the Master wiggled his fingers cheerfully.

Once the communication ended, he laughed and dipped Rose dramatically. She smirked at his happiness, though she was thinking about what it could mean. Why was he so happy? Why were these aliens apparently coming to meet them?

"To our ship, Rose Tyler. We don't have much time. They are _very_ fast travelers. C'mon. Move it, earth girl. No time to smell the roses. See what I did there? Roses? I am clever. So incredibly clever. I should remember that one."

They climbed into a tiny ship the Master fixed a few weeks back. The others were still using it to learn a new language. Rose wasn't happy that they were stealing it, but she was happy to go for a spin. In a quick movement, they left through a hangar and shot into the atmosphere. Then, they orbited the Earth. She went to a window with a thoughtful expression.

"Exactly why are we meeting your mates? Is it for tea and biscuits or something more than that?"

"Oh, something much more. Just wait. It's a surprise for you…" he winked as he went to adjust her glass broach. "I'm giving it all to you, my sweet Bad Wolf. The best gift in the universe."

Before she could ask, the ship dramatically shifted. He caught her with a loud laugh. The hatch opened and the steps descended. He took her by the hand and led her upstairs. She discovered that they were in a much larger ship and surrounded by the Hotspurlians. Tugging on his sleeve, she whispered, "How fast does this ship go?"

"Let's just stay that they could take us three galaxies away before you could blink an eye. Halmono! At last!" he shouted as he gave the blob a little bow.

Hal rippled in return. "Master, we are pleased to meet you. Shall we begin?"

"Oh yes! I've waited long enough!"

Rose was utterly confused as the Master went to the control panel. His fingers flew across the keys at a dizzying rate. She stood behind him and glanced at the screen. The Torchwood symbol was the only thing she could read. He finished and dragged her to another console where a big button was flashing.

"We are going to address the people of Earth. I command the satellites. Actually, I command everything. We will be on every single screen. Even mobiles. This is it. This is the greatest moment! Can't you feel that in the air? What is that? Victory. No, not that. Complete domination. No, no. Even better. Power! Ha!"

She frowned. "You aren't making sense."

"Aren't I? You are about to get everything you have ever wanted, Rosie. This world is ours. Ah, there they are…" he grinned, tapping his fingers to the drums. "One two three four. They are raging!"

"You're starting to scare me."

"Finally! It's about time. You should fear me. But, I won't hurt you. Not you. You're different. I promise that you will be safe. You are my empress. This entire planet is our schoolyard! We'll put monuments of us in every corner of the world. Forget currency and occupation! We will have the life we want handed to us on a plate! This is the start of a new era. The start of my war. My war on humanity. The Hotspurlians would like to help us. To join our modest world."

Rose stepped away from him with wide eyes. "Don't."

"Don't? _Don't_? That's what you say to the gift I am trying to give you?"

"There are billions of innocent people. Free people. They should stay that way."

"Why? Why should you care about them? You don't even know them."

She laughed mirthlessly. "That doesn't matter. A life is a life."

"Oh, you traveled with the Doctor for far too long. Their lives are not important. What is important is your life. _Our _life. It's great fun to be at the top. I've done it before. This isn't my first time. You'll get used to the idea. Just wait until you see what it feels like. Supremacy is inebriating. When you push the button and watch a city crumble, it is the most wonderful feeling. I want you to have it. The power. It's yours, Rosie. It's yours for the taking."

"Do you know me at all?" she asked quietly. "I'm not that kind of person."

"You are! You are so powerful. The entire Time Vortex was in your brain. You defeated the Daleks singlehandedly. It's still in you. I saw it. The block was so powerful it stopped even me. Rose, I love you. I actually love you and I'm not throwing up when I admit it! Can't you let me do this one thing for you?"

Halmono stopped them with a thunderous voice. "Do it now, Master! We grow tired!"

"Quite right. Let's broadcast. Don't be stodgy, my darling. Give the camera a good smile."

He wrapped his arms around her and prepared to tell the world to bow to their new Master.


	12. Chapter 12 FIXED

_**A/N: No idea what went wrong; I had it set before the holidays to upload and something must have gone wrong. This is the actual chapter. I apologize for the inconvenience. **_

_**Chapter Twelve: The Doctor is in**_

It took hours to reach a small town in Norway. Once they did, the Doctor had to resort to stealing a car. Donna fell asleep the second he started towards England. After hours and hours on the road, they had arrived in London. He turned to the snoring Donna and gently prodded her. "Donna. Wake up. We're here."

"What?" she yawned tiredly.

"We're here. In London," he explained.

She looked outside and saw the dirigibles. "This London has blimps? Did they not have the Hindenburg disaster?"

"Apparently not. We have to find the Master first since we don't know where he is. Worst case scenario is that we go to Pete's estate. Rose lives there. Well, she did. I'm sure we could find her mother. She'll know where she is."

They stepped outside of the car and looked at the large city. It'd be like finding a needle in a haystack, Donna thought. The Doctor wasn't worried. He could find other Time Lords with ease. Even if he couldn't, the Master wasn't about to keep a low profile.

On a little street, they were walking past a shop with televisions in the window. The show suddenly disappeared as a transmission flickered on instead. The Doctor stopped Donna urgently. His hearts stopped at the image. The Master smiled and waved with Rose at his side.

"Hello people of Earth! This is your Master speaking and his stunning counterpart, Rose Tyler. Give them a wave, my dear."

Rose gave a tiny wave with reluctance. The Doctor's stomach twisted into a knot. Somehow, the Master got to her. Donna hugged his arm with a frown. "So much for thinking there wasn't a chance they'd meet."

"I'm pleased to inform you that I have made contact with aliens. The Hotspurlians are prepared to accept me as the supreme ruler of the planet. In fact, they believe this so strongly they are willing to destroy anyone who disagrees. Also, all of Earth's defenses are in my control. Currently, my alien friends have weapons pointed at the major cities of the world. Unless you want them to start shooting, I suggest that you meet our demands. We are _very_ impatient. In case you don't take me seriously, say goodbye to the Great Pyramids. It goes a little something like this."

He snapped his fingers and the Hotspurlians fired their weapons. Rose could see the explosion from space. The Great Pyramids were demolished. Quickly, the Master switched the feed to various news channels to show the Earth that he wasn't lying. Every channel reported on the devastation and tourist death tolls. Cheering, he gathered Rose into his arms and held his lips near her ear.

"Look at that clip! Such beautiful imagery! It makes my hearts sing. What do you think?"

"Words can't describe how it makes me feel," she retorted angrily.

"Isn't that the truth? When we go back on the air, I suggest that you let me do the talking. There will be plenty of speeches for you in the future, but for now I should handle this. Just be beautiful you."

On the street, the Doctor was glued to the television. Donna had a hand over her mouth and he had the darkest of expressions. She turned to him questioningly. "What is Rose doing with the Master?"

"I don't know. She doesn't look like she wants to be there. He might have her against her will. We need to get up there. They're on the Hotspurlian ship. Not that I even know what those are. We don't have those in our universe. They look like a pile of—"

Suddenly, the footage switched back to the Master and Rose. He was holding her tightly and smiling happily. "We can't wait to hear from you. Search for our signal and give us a ring if you'd like the destruction to stop. Call me…" he made the hand gesture with his hand and then pecked Rose on the cheek. "Don't keep me or your empress waiting."

With that, the television resumed its normal station. The Doctor took off at full speed, making Donna dart after him. "Where are we running?"

"Torchwood."

By the time they reached Torchwood, it was locked down. The Doctor pushed through the guards as Donna breathlessly caught up to him. He got to the one by the door with a dark expression. "I need to see Pete Tyler. He knows me. I'm the Doctor."

The guard instantly stepped aside and allowed them in. They took the lift to the command floor. When the doors opened, the Doctor was practically tackled. It took a moment to figure out who it was, but then he hugged back with all of his might. "Jackie!"

"Doctor! Am I glad to see you! We thought that you were dead!"

He let go and gave a brief wave to Pete and Mickey. "What? Why would you think that?"

"Harold told us," she sniffed.

His face hardened. "You know the Master."

"We call him Harold Saxon," Pete corrected him. "He came home with Rose about five months ago or so. He's been living with us."

"Yeah. He didn't seem so bad. Rose really got on with him," Mickey added as the Doctor scowled.

"Tell me everything."

Donna cleared her throat with a wave. Jackie pointed. "Who's that then?"

"Donna Noble, meet Jackie and Pete Tyler. They're Rose's parents. And that's Mickey Smith, an old friend. Now, back to the _tell me everything_ part."

"I only got some of the story. Rose was at Bad Wolf Bay. She took some time off from Torchwood. She does that every so often, so we didn't think anything of it. Then, she came home with this Harold Saxon. He had been gut shot and needed help. So, we locked him in CADDIE—that's something Pete came up with like a safe room—until we could trust him. That took a good while, but eventually we did. Well, they did. I sure as hell didn't. He mentioned that he could help us at Torchwood because he overheard Pete and Mickey talking about this broken ship or something. So, we gave him a job. He seemed to be helping. Really liked Rose. Maybe too much. He obviously fancied her, and they thought that it would be nice for her to date again. Rose didn't get back with Mickey, but he's stayed a family friend. Haven't you, Mickey? We just love you. Still, Rose was really quite lonely until she found Harold. They spent every second together. They even watched Tony, that's the son I had. He's just a baby. So adorable. Anyway, Rose and Harold went on a date just last night. When they got back, they said that they were a couple. I didn't think that it was a good thing. Something was just off and I knew the history Rose had with you. Well, today he sent home his people early. I just happened to be in the area because Mickey came home early and said that Pete would be here. We packed him a lunch and decided to come back just to check on things. That's when we saw the message."

Donna glanced at the Doctor. "And you say that _I_ can talk. This woman has real talent."

"Did Rose tell you anything more about how they met?" the Doctor pushed.

"He appeared from thin air at Bad Wolf Bay. She took care of him and found a parallel world jumper. He said that he was shot and in handcuffs because he had traveled with you. The two of you got into a bad situation and you were killed. He managed to escape," Pete explained.

The Doctor groaned loudly. "And you believed that?"

"We couldn't know one way or the other. Rose never really thought that you were dead, but it's been months. I guess she figured it was time to move on. That you weren't coming. But she was so wrong. She'd come back if she knew. Doctor, why is my little girl up there working with that monster? Why'd she bother with him?" Jackie demanded.

"She's not working with him. She can't be. That's not Rose," he answered forcefully. "I know her. There has to be something we're missing. Maybe it's accidental. Maybe she didn't know."

"I didn't know!" Rose shouted as the Master paced in a private room on the Hotspurlian ship. "You hinted that you wanted power, but you never came out and said that you were planning anything. I trusted you."

He grabbed her shoulders. "You were right to! You should! I'll protect you. I'll provide. That's what this is! It's all for you!"

"What if I don't want it? I said that I didn't want the world."

"Rubbish! Everyone wants power! Everyone wants to rule!"

"Not me!" she shouted, causing him to let go. She swallowed hard. "Koschei, I was happy with what we had."

"You're mental. You can't be happy with that boring life. That day after day sludge. It's an abomination! I know you. I know what you want. You want the whole of time and space."

"And you gave it to me! Remember that night? We were in the park and drunk off our arses and you had me laughing. For the first time since the Doctor, you had me really laughing. That's the universe to me. I saw in your head. I heard the drums. I saw things. The darkness. The destruction. But, I also saw something else. I felt something else. You love me so much it scares you. And I thought that part of you was winning. That you were letting go of everything else and starting over in a new world with me."

"I meant _this_ new world, you stupid ape!"

She didn't say anything. She shook her head in disapproval and began to walk away. His hearts raced. It was just like his nightmare. He couldn't let her go. He'd rather her be held against her will than leave him. That was love. And he'd share it with her to the end, even if she didn't want to.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter Thirteen: Turns and Twists**_

Rose stopped walking before he could do anything at all. How could she leave when this Time Lord needed her more than ever? In her heart of hearts, she would always belong to the Doctor. But, the Master was right in front of her and on a warpath. She knew that could help him, and that's what the Doctor would want. Slowly, she turned back with tears in her eyes. "Do you know why I'm not going to walk away from you even now?"

"Do I care?"

"Yes, you care. You are going to shut up and listen to what I have to say right now or I will slap you silly."

He smiled at her. Still fearless. After seeing his true nature, she still wasn't the least bit afraid to confront him. "All right."

"Good. I'm not going to walk away because I said that I wouldn't. And I won't leave you. I won't run from you. Because there's hope for you, Koschei. That's who you are. The Master is in your head. Just like the drums. There was a person before you went barmy. A little boy. I saw him in your head. So fragile. And he needs me. You need me. We met on purpose, remember? I don't think that it was so that the Earth could bow to us. I think that it was so that I could show you something better than power."

Laughing, he smirked. "There isn't anything better than that."

"Liar. You've thought it before. Why are you taking the world and the universe? You're doing it for me. You aren't doing it for you. For once in your long life, you're putting someone else above you. Because you love me. That's better than anything you've known. Answer me this. Just one question. When you saw the Great Pyramids fall, was it as much fun as finding ducks in the clouds with me?"

His glance hardened. "I'm the Master, Rose. I don't…"

"What? Fall in love? Enjoy life with a human? You were heartless once and for quite a while…but you aren't anymore, are you? I know for a fact that you can't hurt me. Right now, I dare you. Hit me. Leave bruises. Make me cry. Go on then. I'm waiting."

With rage, he lifted a hand and went to hit her. He couldn't. Slowly, with a look of horror, he lowered his hand. "What? _What_? Oh no…I'm a sissy."

"You're not a sissy. You're a man in love who treats his woman with respect."

"Like I said, a sissy. This isn't me. It can't be me. Can it? I don't want to be weak."

"Stop that. You're ten times stronger than you ever were. Both your hearts are beating again. You feel. Accept that. You don't have to do this. You don't have to give me the universe. I'd be fine with a flat, maybe a nice car, maybe a pet or two, maybe tiny spaceship we go on holiday with. That's all I need. It'll hurt me if you hurt the human race. You don't have to like them. You don't have to be a nice guy. You can be a total wanker for all I care as long as you don't harm anyone needlessly. Please. For me. Quit trying to give me things. I have all that I need. I can have you, and you can have me. Together. Two wolves. Unstoppable."

He was so confused. His entire life was spent trying to hurt other people. Trying to have the power. Now, this woman had turned his life upside-down. With a shaking hand, he brushed her cheek. "What did you do to me?"

"I don't know. Once, I touched a Dalek and it could feel. It evolved into this machine that couldn't kill. Dalek. Couldn't kill. Because I touched it. So, it might be a DNA thing, but I like to think that it's more than that. Take the Doctor for example. He was a mess. Worst attitude. Big ears. I turned him around. It's like a curse or something. I can't explain it. I'm glad I met you. You're not half bad, you know. You have some assets. And I know you could be something great. You don't know what you're capable of doing for good. We could find out if you want. I don't know…believe in that life we could share. You just have to stop this. I swear on my family that if you do, I'm yours."

"And if I don't?"

"Remember that bit about me having an ego?"

He smiled widely. "Yeah."

"Well, it's telling me that you will. It's telling me that I've gotten to you. Am I right?"

Gently, he kissed her. When they pulled apart, he smirked. "Well played, Rose Tyler. I'm very glad I met you. Finally, a match. Someone who can beat me at my own game. No wonder I love you so much. Halmono, we need to talk!"

At Torchwood, the Doctor was helping isolate the secret codes and transmissions. The Master was very clever and had sufficiently blocked everything. Even the Doctor couldn't access it. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and checked something. "Ah! I've got it!"

Everyone rushed over, but Donna was the first to ask. "What? What is it?"

"He's controlling Torchwood remotely. I can put a trace on the signal to find their exact location. The other transmitter is bouncing about. Scrambled like eggs. But this one has to remain constant or there could be a serious error. After I trace it, we'll need a way of traveling up there."

Mickey frowned. "What, you left the blue box in the other universe?"

"We don't have enough power to play about. It's parked on that beach," Donna explained.

"What about a teleportation device?" Pete suggested. "We lifted a couple a few months ago, but they aren't working."

The Doctor sighed. "Of course not. Bring them here. I'll see if I can get them to work."

"What if they don't?" Jackie wondered fearfully.

"We'll find another way. This man ain't about to leave here without Rose. And I'm not about to let him do that either. She's all he talks about. I can't wait to meet her. She must really be something," Donna nodded, causing the Doctor to turn bright red. "Look at him! Blushing like a schoolboy!"

"Not helping, Donna…"

On the ship, the Master and Rose went to see Halmono. The blob regarded them with a ripple. "Have you settled your lover's quarrel?"

"Ah, yes. We have. The plan is off. I know it's an inconvenience, but this isn't going to work out after all. I appreciate your time and effort, Hal. Until we meet again," the Master answered as he began to pull Rose towards their ship.

A force shield held them in place. "Um, we might have a problem…" Rose whispered quietly.

"We are taking this world for our own," Halmono announced. "In fact, we never planned to give it to you in the first place. Did you really think that we'd let a lesser being have ultimate power in the universe?"

The Master scowled. "I screened you carefully. You were being honest."

"Yes, I was. I said that I'd like you be the Master. That's your name. And I let you keep it."

"Yet another reason I don't like that title," Rose commented dryly.

He frowned at them both. "So, what are you going to do with us?"

"You're going to the dungeon until we have time to dispose of you."

In a flash, they were sent to a medieval style dungeon and restrained by chains on their ankles and wrists. The Master tested them with a pouty expression. "Well then. That's a first. Outsmarted twice in one day. I'm getting old."

"Why does this modern spaceship have a grimy dungeon?"

"They like to be traditional. If we're executed, I'm hoping for a hanging. I'll regenerate."

She glared unhappily. "What about me, then?"

"Well, if I go first I can regenerate and save you. If you go first."

"What?"

He paused and met her eyes. It was like the words were on the tip of his tongue, but he seemed too scared to say them. "Nothing. We need out of this place. Soon rather than later would be better."

"Do you have a sonic screwdriver?" she wondered hopefully.

"That's just stupid. Who looks at anything and thinks that it could be a bit more sonic. It's just daft."

"Haven't you ever been bored?"

"Is this how our relationship is going to go? Are you going to defend the Doctor at every turn?"

She pulled a face. "Of course I will. Why is that a problem? I thought that you were mates."

"We were. It's just that until I met you I didn't really _like_ anybody. It's how I was."

"Well, that's just rich. You really did have to meet me, didn't you? You sounded like you were a real—"

"Less talking and more thinking. If you want us to spare that decrepit planet, we need a way out. Can you hand me your broach?"

Confusedly, she managed to get it off and hand it to him. "What'd you need that for?"

"It's a transmitter. I used it to link Torchwood to this ship."

With some difficultly, she was able to whack his arm. "Oi, I thought that was a sweet gift!"

"Ouch, it was! It just happened to double for a transmitter. I could have hid it in my shoe if I wanted to, but I put it in a handmade flower. Blimey, I'm a total cream puff. Look at me. Trying to escape to do something…good. Yuck. It feels weird."

"Get used to it, mate. You're on my side now, and you know that there's nowhere you'd rather be."

He grinned. "Confident, Rosie?"

"Just a bit, yeah."

At Torchwood, the Doctor put the final touches on the devices. They came back to life and could teleport them to and from wherever the transmitter was. The Master had to have kept it somewhere close for it work with the ship, so the Doctor knew that it was either on his person or near it. He fit one device to Donna and one to himself. Jackie embraced them both for good luck.

"Bring her back," Mickey nodded, slightly emotional.

Pete shook the Doctor's hand. "Once again, I have to depend on you."

"That's me. The dependable Doctor. Hang on, Donna. We're going to go for a little ride."

Meanwhile, the Master had failed at using the transmitter as a tool. He fell against the wall with a disappointed sigh. "I'm useless. This is your fault. You have made me a complete weakling."

"I have not! Do not blame me. I didn't go and put you in some trance or mess with your mind."

"It'd explain a lot."

"Oh, shut it. Less complaining and more thinking."

"Don't you tell me to shut it, you idiot. If you had accepted my gift, we wouldn't be in this situation."

"Wait a minute! They said that they'd have done this anyway!"

"Well."

"Yeah. Well."

He loved fighting with her. It was a rush every time. Gingerly, he moved the heavy chains and reattached her broach. His face was incredibly close to hers. She could feel his breath on her lips. Slowly, he pressed his mouth to hers and she reciprocated. They kept going with more and more intensity. Though they knew that they should be focused, it didn't stop them.

Neither did the rays of light that beamed into the room.

The Doctor and Donna had arrived in the dungeon. At first, Donna had her eyes shut and the Doctor was looking up. When he looked down, he saw the Master and his Rose snogging like there was no tomorrow. His hearts broke in half. Donna opened her eyes and saw the two of them kissing and she had to cover her mouth with her hands. She looked to the Doctor who looked close to crying or shouting angrily.

The Master suddenly pulled back, sensing the other Time Lord. He groaned. "You always have to show up, don't you?"

Rose followed his gaze and gasped. "Doctor?"


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chapter Fourteen: Complications**_

No one would say anything. Rose was processing this turn of events, the Master was trying to figure out a way to talk his way out of the predicament, and the Doctor was processing what they interrupted. Donna took control of the situation. "All right, someone has to explain. Just standing around isn't going to get us anywhere. I'm Donna Noble, the Doctor's best mate. Obviously, he's not dead. The Master lied to you, Rose. He's nothing but bad news. We aren't about to let him take over this Earth."

Still, no one said a thing.

"Come on! Someone say something? Rose? Master? What about you, spaceman? Anything?"

Then, they all started to speak at once. The Master was yelling at the Doctor, the Doctor was yelling right back at him, and Rose was yelling at them both to calm down.

"Oi! _Stop it_!" Donna shouted, causing everyone to shut up. "Good. Now, one at a time. It's like talking to children, I swear…"

Rose focused on the Master. "You lied to me. I knew it. I knew that I shouldn't have trusted you. Was this all lie? Some big plan? I'll bet every word out of your mouth hasn't been true. Looks like I am a stupid ape for believing in you."

"Listen to me. I didn't know who you were then. When we first met, I was planning on hurting the Doctor. I was going to use you. It's who I was. Who I am. But I'm changing. You know that I am. Let me prove it. Give me a chance. I'll show you the truth. Not everything was a lie…" the Master attempted.

He began to move towards Rose and the Doctor went to stop him. He held up his hands with a hard look in his fellow Time Lord's direction. "Doctor, please. I need a few minutes. That's all."

The Doctor was stunned by this. What happened to the Master? He was acting almost…human. Rose had tears in her eyes from it all. She wasn't able to move away from the Master due to the heavy chains, but he was able to get closer. He put his fingers to her temples and shut his eyes. With all of his might, he opened his mind to her. She saw everything from the beginning and it was horrifying. The drums were pounding in the background. When it reached the truth of what happened on the other world, she was furious. He was a monster. Just as she was about to tell him to stop, the montage reached their meeting.

There was a shift in him. The drums were quieter. He was still the same villain as before, but he was evolving. He was starting to feel. Starting to love. He was happy with her, and it was better than how he felt when he had power. His fear was evident. It shook her to the core. The man had never felt anything like it. It was truth. It was pure. He didn't want to hurt her. He didn't want to lose her. She saw his nightmares and his dreams. When he planned to take the world, it wasn't to see suffering. He saw them together, laughing and dancing in the stars. As hard as it was for him, he would stop hurting people…but only for her.

Pulling his fingertips away, he held her gaze with fearful eyes. "I'm sorry."

Silently, after careful thought, she put her arms around him as best as she could. "It's all right. You're lost. That's all it is. You have done terrible, unforgivable things, but…not to me…I forgive you."

"I love you, Rosie. I do."

The Doctor swallowed. "Love?"

"I love her," the Master answered him darkly. "I went and fell in love with a human. Sissy, sissy, _sissy_."

"Well, that's wizard. Can you explain the chains and the dungeon? Tell me it's not foreplay," Donna grumbled unhappily.

Rose smirked at the fiery ginger. "We're prisoners. The Hotspurlians are planning to take over Earth."

"I thought that was the pair of you," Donna frowned.

"Yes. It was. But, I changed my mind. My mates didn't…" the Master explained. He held out his chains. "You wouldn't happen to have that stupid sonic screwdriver, would you? We should probably get to saving the world. God, listen to me. Saving the world. It makes me want to gag."

The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and went to the Master. In an intense silence, he freed him from the chains. He went to Rose next. Their eyes locked and she gave him a wide smile. "Hello."

He had to smile back. "Hello."

"I see you're alive and well. It's been so long."

"Yeah. It's been quite awhile, Rose Tyler," he nodded as he quickly walked over to Donna. "We need a plan."

"We only have the two teleportation devices, so that won't work as an exit. If only we had a ship…" Donna hummed.

The Master popped his head between them with a grin. "Did someone say ship? I have one."

"Where is it?" the Doctor asked.

"Parked, docked, connected—all to this one."

"Brilliant. We'll use that to escape. But first things first, we need to stop them before they do any more damage. Allons-y," the Doctor declared almost cheerfully as he used his sonic to open a door. Inside, he was nowhere near cheerful. He was a wreck.

Stealthily, the four of them entered the hallway. The blobs were too large to guard anything personally, but they did have alarms. One sounded and they took off for the nearest room. They reached one and the Master easily hacked the code. Inside, there were two of the puddles. The Doctor changed the setting on the sonic screwdriver to cause them to ripple in calming motions. In under a minute, they were asleep. They'd transport them out as soon as they could.

"What a pathetic solution. I could have made them implode with the same device," the Master sneered as he went to the console. He cut off the alarm, sent the blobs out, and checked the readings. "They haven't caused any more destruction."

"Why not? Not that it's a bad thing," Rose wondered as she went to his side.

"They're waiting. They've called their other ships into the area. They'll be here in five minutes."

The Doctor wedged between them and got to work. "I can reverse the message. Send them back."

"What can the rest of us do?" Donna asked curiously.

"We need to disable the ship."

"I command all of Earth's defenses. I could shoot out their engines. Leave the ship stalled and in the dark," the Master suggested. "But I'll need a console more powerful than this one."

"If you miss, we'll go down with them. We need to do this internally. You can go to the engines—"

"And enter the overrides simultaneously with you while you work here. That will fry their technology completely."

He nodded. "That's exactly right. I can harness some of the energy from Torchwood to make this console stronger. There's no way they could prevent the meltdown then."

The Master scowled. "No. I'll stay here and you go to the engines."

"A ship this big will have a highly complicated propulsion system. You're stone cold brilliant. It'll take you half the time it would me. Where's the Torchwood transmitter?"

"It's in Rose's broach."

The Doctor saw the pretty thing and held out his hand to take it. Rose went to give it to him, but the Master stopped her. He sent a glare in the Master's direction. "Having cold feet, Master?"

"It only works when it's near Rose herself. I'm a big fan of isomorphic controls. A true fanatic, really. The broach has to be within several feet of her."

"So I'll stay up here," she decided, placing a hand on the Master's shoulder when he went to argue. "You take Donna. We need to move before they start shooting."

Pointedly, the Master kissed her and nodded to Donna. "C'mon, ginger."

"Oi, watch it spaceman…number two."

Rolling his eyes, he glanced at the Doctor. "There's a communication unit. We'll use it when we're in position. Uck, look at me. Working with the Doctor. How times have changed…"

After they left, Rose stood by the Doctor in an awkward silence. He continued to work without looking at her. She bumped him with her shoulder. "Hey."

"What?"

She winced at how he said it. "I haven't seen you in years and we've barely said two words."

"Right. Well, the world is in danger. I'm a little preoccupied. Sorry about that. So…how'd it happen?" he questioned quietly. "You and him."

"He just showed up on Bad Wolf Bay. I happened to be sitting on the rocks. Then, this man fell from the sky in handcuffs. I stitched him up and found his parallel world jumper. At first, I thought that he was you. It had Gallifreyan on it and he had two hearts. You were the last one, or so I thought. Anyway, he moved in with me and we got to know each other. I didn't know about his plan to take over the world. Not until he literally announced it. But, I got him to reconsider."

He looked at her with saddened eyes. "You've done it."

"Done what?"

"What I couldn't do. You reached him. I knew that he could be helped, but he wouldn't accept it from me," he took a steadying breath and added, "I'm happy for you. I'm glad that you found each other."

His fingers went back to work and she had a surprised expression. "Doctor, what are you trying to say?"

"I'm really happy for you both. I was worried that if he found you he would hurt you, but I should have known that you'd get to him. He could be a great man. I know that you'll see to him. Besides, it wasn't like I thought that I'd find you here, sitting about waiting for me to come back."

She blinked back tears, wondering why he came back if it wasn't to find her. "Why did you come here?"

"The Master was on the loose. I wanted to be sure that he didn't destroy this Earth like he did mine…" he explained softly, though his hearts were beating out of time. He came back for her, but he wasn't about to admit that and be crushed further. Obviously, she had moved on…with his old mate and adversary.

"Oh. Right…" she mumbled. She didn't love the Master. She liked him and felt like she could help him. Maybe, she could grow to love him. But, her true love was standing in front of her for the first time in years. Even so, he didn't seem to care. Her chest tightened.

The Master was almost at the engines with Donna in tow. She was glaring. He was tired of it. Sighing, he looked at her. "What do you want?"

"You and Rose. What's the story?"

"Are you deaf? I love her. My Bad Wolf. My empress. My everything. God, where did _that_ come from? I'm sorry, ginger. This love thing is new to me. I have lapses of disgusting prose. Ignore it."

"Does she love you?"

He paused. "I don't know. We're a couple and she said that she'll stay with me. That's what matters right now. In time, she'll love me. I know it."

"And what if she still loves the Doctor? What then? Would you let her go?"

"I can't let her go. She's part of me. I can't live without her. I won't."

She shivered at the edge in his voice. He hurried up ahead and she paused for a moment with a tired expression. "This is not good. I just know that this can't end well…"


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter Fifteen: Old Habits Die Hard**_

"So…Donna Noble…where'd you find her?" Rose asked, ignoring the pang of jealousy in her stomach.

"Oh, she showed up in the TARDIS. Just appeared from thin air."

"Just like me and Koschei."

He had trouble hiding his true feelings. "Not exactly the same, no. You call him Koschei?"

"Yeah. He told me his name," Rose nodded. While he thought about that fact, she looked at him somberly. "Are you and Donna a thing?"

"We're not a couple," he grumbled with an eye roll. Did everyone have to ask that?

"Oh. I just assumed that you were."

"Why?"

She shrugged and fiddled with her broach. "I only meant that you had a new companion. She's not bad looking. Ginger, which I remember you like. And she's not afraid to express herself. Really quite bold if you think about it. I'd be happy for you. That's all."

They grew quiet. He was too stubborn and hurt to admit that he came all that way, risked to universes, mostly because of her. She was too hurt and surprised to admit that she always loved him and probably always would. It wasn't how either of them pictured their reunion. The silence was maddening, so she had to ask. If she didn't, she knew she would regret it.

"What was the end of that sentence?"

"What sentence?" he muttered distractedly as he straightened his brainy specs.

"Bad Wolf Bay. You said Rose Tyler and nothing else. How was that sentence going to end?"

He froze. "Why are you asking me?"

"I want to know."

"Does it need saying?"

She rolled her eyes. "You are infuriating. Forget it. Just…never mind."

The Doctor had finished the preparations. They only had to wait for the Master to contact them. In the meantime, he took off his glasses and stared closely at Rose. "No, go on. Say what's on your mind."

"I feel like I don't know you anymore. You're so quiet. You've hardly looked at me. After all this time, I thought we'd be happy to see each other. And I am. I am really happy to see you."

"Me too…" he agreed as a grin appeared on his face.

Suddenly, with passion and fire, they embraced tightly. She buried her face in his shoulder and allowed her tears to flow. He couldn't believe that she was back in his arms and had to soak in the moment. Then, he remembered that she was with _him_ now and gently let go. He went back to the console and pretended to check a few things. She knew that something was wrong.

"Doctor…you're pretending to push things when you really aren't. Will you at least tell me what I did wrong?"

That got him to snap up instantly. "How do you mean, Rose? You haven't done anything wrong."

"Really? So, you're not upset with me?"

"No. Of course not. I couldn't be upset with you."

"Okay…so we're good?"

"Yep."

Silence.

"Then…why don't things feel like they're good?"

Before he could stop himself, he blurted it out. "What made you get with the Master?"

"He wanted to and I like him. There was finally someone here that knew everything I did and more. He's smart and funny. Completely mental and twisted, though. I just thought that it was time."

"Time for what?"

"To move past you. Years, Doctor. I tried to get you. I went to Bad Wolf Bay to feel closer to you. I thought that you couldn't come through or two universes would collapse. But, Koschei did. He told me that our meeting was a fixed point in time. I figured that was the universe's way of telling me that you weren't coming. And you didn't. You could have. I would have gone to you, but I'm not a genius or a Time Lord. I'm just a girl, and hoping wasn't working."

"The parallel jumper was a myth. Once I knew that it was possible, I started to build straight away. It took me and Donna months get the parts. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to build a jumper that's safe for travel when it has to carry the entire TARDIS? Any at all? It's _very_ hard, Rose Tyler. I risked trillions of people, two universes, to get here. I could have caused the end of two Earths just to find you."

"To find me? You said you came here for the Master."

"All right, yes. I did. Partly. I knew that he'd try something like this, but I was worried about you. I was worried what he might do to you. And, I…" he took a steadying breath and, for once, decided to take a chance. "I missed you. A lot."

"I missed you. So much it hurt."

He gave a handsome smile and his hearts sunk. Did he risk trillions of lives to say hello to a mate and leave? No. He wanted to bring her home. Like that would happen. Even if she wanted to, he couldn't live with her and the Master. Dealing with Mickey and the other pretty boys was one thing. But _the Master_? That was like lemon juice in a paper cut. The Master would make sure to flaunt it too. He knew better than anyone how much he loved Rose.

"Well, here we are after all this time. Congratulations on your relationship. It's good to know that you've found love."

She stared at him strangely. "Who says I love him?"

That stopped the Doctor dead in his tracks. "Sorry?"

"I haven't once said to anyone that I love him. He loves me. I don't love him. He knows that. I like him. Genuinely, I do. He has some great qualities. But, he was never you."

"He wasn't?"

"Of course not, stupid. Old habits die hard. I love you. Not him."

On a lower deck, the Master and Donna were held up at the entrance to the engine room. A gigantic blobby alien was guarding the door. She looked at its size and shook her head. "Someone needs to lay off the calories. How do they move?"

"They don't really. If they have to, they have a cart underneath them. Most of their fighting is done telepathically. They command fleets of unmanned pods."

"Carts, you said? Like a little platform with wheels?"

"Yes. That would be a cart. Congratulations on working that one out."

She glared. "I don't like you, spaceman number two. Not a bit. How fast do those things move?"

He calculated the formulas in less than two seconds. "About a half a foot a second."

"If I were to leave one of my shoes on the floor and tell it to come get me, would the shoe trip it up? Get caught in the cart and short it out or something?"

Suddenly, he grinned widely. "That could actually work. You're not as dumb as you look."

"Thanks. I think."

She pulled off her shoes and tossed one down the hall. Then, she darted in front of the alien and waved her arms. It charged forward and got snared on the shoe. Quickly, the Master ran to a panel by the engine room and beamed it into the dungeon with the same guards from earlier. They ran into the engine room and he tore open the console. His finger hit the intercom unit.

"We're in position. Initiate the override sequence in ten seconds."

The Master's voice interrupted the conversation between Rose and the Doctor. Instantly, the Doctor moved to the console and prepared to enter the codes. They counted down over the intercom and set to work. Halfway through, it seemed to be working. Then, their overrides were overridden.

"What? No, that can't be right. Master, are you seeing this?" the Doctor questioned.

"Oh yes! Their system is more advanced than we thought. Fail safe protocols everywhere! This won't work."

"Get back up here. They'll be onto us, but I can keep this room on lockdown. We have to talk about another plan."

The Master and Donna darted out of the engine room and towards the nearest method to get upstairs. In the meantime, the Doctor turned the room into a virtual fortress. He finished quickly, but he kept going to keep his mind occupied. Rose still loved him? Brilliant. But what did that mean exactly? She cleared her throat and caught his attention.

"You're doing it again. The pretending to push buttons thing. I used to do that when my mother asked if I was studying."

He nervously smiled. "Oh, I didn't notice. The mind wanders sometimes. Doesn't consult the fingers. Complete disconnect. Where were we exactly?"

"I love you."

"Quite right."

There was a pause and she pushed him onwards. "And you?"

"Sorry? What's the question?"

"Don't play dumb, Doctor. The Master told me."

He gulped. "He did?"

"He said that you used to talk about me all the time. That it hurt when we were split up, and you loved me. Was he lying to me then too, or was one of his truths?"

Everything had led up to this moment. Her eyes were searching his face for a reaction. His tongue felt heavy and useless. Their pulses were raging. Finally, he found his ability to speak and answered her questions.

"No. He wasn't lying. That's how the sentence ended."


	16. Chapter 16

_**Chapter Sixteen: Where to go from here**_

Rose grinned excitedly. "Yeah?"

He grinned back just as enthusiastically. "Yeah."

"And you want me to come back with you? You and me on the TARDIS together?"

"Did you really think that I'd come all this way to stop the Master, have some chips, catch up on old times, and travel a universe away without you?" he chuckled. "You know me better than that."

She wrapped her arms around him. "I never stopped thinking about you, Doctor. Not once. I always wanted our old life back."

"You knew I'd come back if I could, didn't you?"

"I hoped, but I know you. I didn't think you'd risk it."

"Well, normally I wouldn't. I couldn't. But, this was a special circumstance. You're here."

She pulled back and put a hand on his face. "Here you are. Burned up a sun to say goodbye and risked two worlds to get back. What a romantic you are."

"Oh yes. But…if you don't mind me asking…you are the Master's girlfriend. Are you going to stay with him?"

Before she could answer, there was pounding on the door. It was in beats of four, so they knew that it was the Master and Donna. The Doctor let them inside and they jumped in. Blobs were in pursuit and the Doctor had to speed up the doors closing with his sonic screwdriver. He wiggled it at the Master for emphasis. He sneered and kissed Rose on the cheek.

"Well, that was fun. What now?" he asked the room.

The Doctor went to answer, but he stopped when he saw Donna. "Weren't you an inch taller before you left?"

"No shoes," she explained. "I used one to stop the alien downstairs."

"Brilliant!" the Doctor laughed as he embraced her.

The Master gave a shrug. "Not bad for a ginger. When's the wedding?"

"We're not a couple," Donna and the Doctor grumbled in unison.

Alarms began to go off and the Master as well as the Doctor ran to the consoles. They each worked on a different angle in the hopes that they'd think of something. Donna gently pulled Rose aside to the corner to warn her about the Master's obsessive personality.

"Look Rose, I _know_ that you love the Doctor. That new spaceman of yours is sick in the head. He says that he isn't going to let you go even if you want to. I just wanted to tell you so that you're ready for that battle once we're through with this one."

Rose smiled and patted her on the shoulder. "Thanks, Donna. I'm glad the Doctor found a friend like you."

"Getting anything?" the Master asked the Doctor hopefully. "I've hit a wall."

"My idea isn't going to work either. Even though I called off the reinforcements and blocked further communications, this one ship could destroy Earth with just a few blasts. If we can't disable the ship or reverse the energy flow from their weapons—"

"Or use Earth's defenses to safely disarm the ship," the Master added.

"Well, that leaves only one other option…" the Doctor sighed. "We'll have to set it to self-destruct."

"Fantastic! I think that I know a way…" the Master agreed as he went to do it. The Doctor grabbed his hand with daggers in his eyes. "Getting cold feet, Doctor?"

He didn't flinch. "We have to give them a choice. They always get a choice. Open a feed."

"Oh, right. You and your pathetic attempts to _save_ people."

"That's what you're doing right now, mate," Donna called from the back of the room.

With a glare, he nodded to the companion. "I liked her, but now I don't anymore. Your channel will be open in a few seconds."

The feed opened and Halmono appeared on the screen. He laughed at the four defenders of the Earth mockingly. "Is this your surrender?"

"No. Actually, I was thinking that you could turn this ship around. Let us and our planet go peacefully and no one has to get hurt. If you don't accept, I have no choice but to destroy you and your crew," the Doctor informed him darkly.

Hal shrugged, as much as a blob could shrug, and chuckled once more. "We never back down. Your planet will be taken over. If they—or you—resist, we will blow it to shreds and harvest the materials. I suggest you tell your people that we are in power now."

The feed was cut and the Master smirked. "Some good that did."

"At least we tried," the Doctor snapped. "We will set the ship to destruct and then transport to your ship using their system. From there, we'll have a few minutes to escape the blast radius. Can the ship handle it?"

"How dare you doubt my ship! Yes, of course it can. Blimey. Let's get this over with before I vomit. _Good deeds_. Uck."

Together, the Master and the Doctor began to prepare a self-destruct protocol. Just as they got through the first half, the room turned black. All of the equipment was shut down and their progress was stopped. They scrambled to find an explanation or solution.

"Well that's just bloody brilliant," the Master growled as he kicked the console in anger. "They found a way to isolate the room's power and cut it off. Must have been the _transmission _that we sent. They tracked it. Good job, Doctor. Spot on."

Before the Doctor could answer with a clever retort, pounding noises filled the air. The door screeched as it began to open. The enemy was closing in. Almost instinctively, the Master pushed Rose behind him and the Doctor did the same with Donna. The slow moving aliens would take a moment, so the Doctor hatched a plan. He turned to the Master, tossing him a teleportation device.

"Program it for the dungeon. We'll throw it on them and I can activate it with my—"

"Sonic screwdriver, _I know_. Just get it done."

They reprogrammed the devices as the aliens came inside. They threw the devices together, but one of them missed the alien. Without thinking, Rose ran forward and slid towards it. She retrieved the device and slapped it on, triggering it. The Doctor triggered the other from afar.

"Brilliant!" the Doctor grinned excitedly. "Now, is there anywhere on this ship that can't have its power cut by the control room? Anything with its own supply?"

Donna came up with an idea. "These puddles, they need their own spaces, yeah? Would the captain's quarters have its own supply? For security or whatever."

"The ginger might be onto something," the Master hummed. "It's worth a shot. If anything, it will be the most reinforced next to the control room. Getting in there might be difficult, but I think we're up for it."

The Doctor nodded in agreement. "We travel together. We should each take a point position, front or back of the group. It'll protect Rose and Donna."

"Fine. I'll take the front. _I _know where we're going. C'mon then."

With caution, all of the time travelers wandered into the hallway. The Master led them quietly towards the stairwell. All of the living quarters were in the top of the ship, which made them very close to the control room and most of the activity. The first floor up was not too challenging. However, once they moved up another floor, they encountered a bit of trouble.

"Down!" the Master hissed as they crouched behind a wall. "There must be twenty aliens over there."

"As long as we are fast enough, we should be all right…" Rose shrugged. "Not like they can run."

The Doctor bobbed his head from side to side with hesitance on his lips. "Well, I don't know about that. They can call an alarm. And, these aliens appear to be very, very armed."

It was true. The aliens were wielding large guns and smaller lasers. It appeared that the entire ship was on alert, which was completely justified. However, such a thing did make their task that much harder. After a silent moment, Donna was the first to speak.

"We should figure something. I don't think it's very wise to be sitting here just waiting to get shot at."

"I think Rosie had the best idea. There's no other way around. We have to use the maintenance stairwells to move about. They just transport, given their size, so our choice in getting upstairs is rather limited. If we really run, they won't have time to shoot. If they do, those are mostly stun guns. Unless someone is hit more than once, the guns can only maim a person, not kill them."

"Isn't that a lovely thought? I'd love to get maimed today," Donna snapped.

The Master glared. "Great, you go first."

"Stop it," the Doctor snapped. "We go together. On the count of three."

"Four," the Master corrected. "On the count of four."

He rolled his eyes with a scoff. "All right. On the count of _four_. One two three four!"

Everyone leapt out at once. In a second, they were seen. Motion detectors were had been placed on the floor. The shots began flying left and right. They looked like a white ball of energy, but they left black clouds on the metal walls of the ship. Several of these white balls began moving towards Rose and Donna. They were going fast enough that there was no avoiding them. Without missing a beat, the Doctor pushed Rose and Donna towards the Master and took the shots to the chest.

Time seemed to stop. Rose pulled away from the Master and dropped to his side. She pulled him into her lap, inspecting the singed edges of his tie and suit. Sleepily smiling, he looked up at her like she was something from a dream. His voice was only loud enough for her to hear over the guns.

"A perfect rose."

His eyes came to a close.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Chapter Seventeen: Impossible Choices**_

"Rose! We have to move!" the Master yelled as he shoved Donna onwards.

She was still. He had to forcibly move her towards an exit. The Doctor was still breathing, hardly, so the Master reluctantly lifted the Time Lord to his side. As he half dragged the Doctor away, he noticed that the gunfire was eating at the walls. It was so intense that some of the wall was gone. A conduit had split. The world fell silent as he stared at the broken piece, one two three four one two three four. Important. It was something important. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it meant something. What did it mean?

"Oi, spaceman number two! We have to move!" Donna reminded him with a glare.

He rolled his eyes and hoisted the Doctor closer to his body. They got to the next stairwell, where they secluded themselves for just a moment. It was clear that both Donna and Rose had cried over their Doctor, but the Master was completely detached. Rose took it the hardest. She had just gotten her Doctor back, and yet he was clearly on the edge of death. When the Master peeled back the pinstripe suit and took a look, he didn't say anything. It agitated both companions far too much.

"Well? Is he going to be all right?" Donna demanded. "Is the Doctor going to make it?"

"Yes, of course he is. I told you that it doesn't kill you. Just really hurts. Does a number on a person's complexion. Look at the poor chap. He's got third degree burns. Some swelling. Terribly unpleasant. But, he will live to complain about it. Barely."

Rose glared at him. "Barely? I'm confused. One second you say it doesn't kill and the next you imply the Doctor is hardly hanging on…"

"Did you not listen? It can kill _if_ the person is hit more than once. And he was hit several times. The idiot took at least three hits for the pair of you. But, like I said, he made it through. He'll be out for some time. Can't say how long. So, if you want him to come along, we will have to drag him."

"Of course we want him along!" Donna screeched as she smacked his shoulder. "I'd carry the man myself. He's my best friend in the universe."

"Oh good. Then you can carry him," the Master snarled as he held out the Doctor. "Really, I worry about my back. It isn't what it used to be."

"You tosser! You will not leave the Doctor and you will not leave him to me. You know I'm not strong enough to carry him on, even if he is just a twig."

Rose pushed between them. "Stop it! We need to get moving. Earth is at risk. Wait a minute. Why aren't they attacking? Why is it so quiet? We didn't disable anything, did we?"

The Master thought for a moment. "Torchwood. I told them that I commanded the defenses. They're wonderful warriors, but they won't risk going in halfcocked. They must want Torchwood's defenses before unleashing their reign of terror. Clever. But, that means that they want my codes and your broach…and, by extension, you."

"So we just go and make them blow up, yeah? That'll end this and we can all go home. Have some tea. See to the Doctor," Rose nodded as she turned away from the injured form of her Time Lord. He looked so vulnerable. She hated to see him that way. "We need to finish this."

"Quite right, Rosie. Ginger, stay with Rose. I'll carry the Doctor. I suppose he can be helpful from time to time."

Sighing, the Master began to drag the Doctor up the steps to the next level. Rose was still silent and shaken, and Donna didn't say a word for once. Everyone was far too focused for banter. Just as they made it to the next level, a motion detector went off again. This time, there were no guns. There was a bright ray of light that transported them onto the bridge. They were instantly held by a force field, separated by species. Halmono was there in all his glory, laughing at their failure.

"You have failed! How does that feel, Master, to know that you are inferior?"

He shrugged. "I wouldn't know. I was about to ask you the same question."

"You know what we want," Halmono roared. "Torchwood. The codes."

"Fine. I don't have them. The truth is that Rose Tyler has the control, and so does the president of Torchwood, Donna Noble. They're the ones you need to talk to. Not me. I was just a pretty face. An authoritative voice."

The alien seemed unsure. "That is not possible. We spoke for months. You had the codes."

"I lied. We waited six months. You've seen what I can do to your ship. I could have moved in a second if I had the information, but I told you we were waiting on Rose, remember?"

Rose wasn't sure where the Master was going with this, especially since it might put her in danger. She sent a glance in his direction, and he waggled the sonic screwdriver behind his back. He'd gotten it from the Doctor before he set him on the floor. She knew that the Master had a plan, so she went with it.

"It's true, Hal my pal," Rose smirked. "I've got the codes. I've got everything. Donna has the clearance and I have the numbers. Maybe we can deal."

"Deal? We do not deal. All will listen to us."

Give Rose's distraction, the Master had just enough time to disrupt the force field and slip through a gap. The Doctor was trapped inside, but he wasn't awake yet. Surprisingly, the Master purposely left the sonic for the Doctor. It would be their way of escape. The Time Lord had to wake soon, the Master knew. It'd be up to him, as much as he hated to admit it. He gave a lasting look at Rose and then vanished down the corridor.

"Well, we aren't cheap or easy, mate. Our information will come at a price. You can have the codes, but only if you cut us in," Rose attempted to redirect.

"We want at least forty percent. Fifty would be better," Donna broke into character, as soon as she saw that the Master had escaped. Rose gratefully smiled in her direction.

"But you wanted to spare Earth! You wouldn't want a deal. Something isn't right…" Hal turned to the Master to find that he was gone. Groaning, the alien rippled in displeasure. "Escaped! Find him!"

Rose grinned and whispered under her breath, "Good luck, Koschei."

The Master easily got to the bed chamber. All of the other travelers, and the Doctor's limp body, were slowing him down before. The place was a grand bedroom with gold and marble, so it was pretty easy to find the technology. The blinking console was in the solid gold wall. He set to work on the protocol. It took some doing, but he got it moving. However, there was a slight problem.

The ship's systems were not operational.

He looked into it further and his hearts sank. It started to make sense. When he saw the damaged conduit several floors down, he subconsciously knew that it would disrupt the system. The shots fired took out part of the ship's mainframe. He couldn't successfully blow up the ship with the wiring falling apart. If he could repair it, the code would go through. But what could he use to bridge the gap?

"Master," Halmono called in a thunderous voice. "I ask for your eyes."

Slowly, the Master turned to find a feed behind him. It was of Rose and Donna. They had weapons pointed at them beyond the force shield. They were of the same technology, so the shots could make it through the beam. Searching for a way out, he managed to find the Doctor in the corner of the video. He hoped that his old adversary was awake, but he wasn't so lucky. The Doctor was still out.

"What do you want?" the Master demanded. "What do you want in exchange for their safety?"

"You have exactly ten of your Earth minutes to get back here. If you are not here in time, both of the women will be slain. You lied to me about the codes. They do not have them, but I know that you do. We want those codes so that we can take Earth once and for all. If you do not give the information to us, or we discover that you have given us false information, they will also die."

The Master met Rose's gaze. He could see her broach shining in the light. His first instinct was to forget about Earth and save her. So, he cleared his throat to answer, "Fine. I will be right there."

"Don't!" Rose shouted with tears in her eyes. "Please. Don't. I will never be happy if my planet, my family, is dead. I would rather die than live in that world. If you love me, find a way to save them. Do it for me. You're their only chance. My only chance. I need you."

"Ten minutes!" Hal thundered as he cut the feed.

Silently, the Master checked the time. He couldn't make it all of the way to engineering to find cable. He couldn't risk wandering from room to room to find something. That would only waste time. What could he do? He started to pace, mumbling to himself.

"It's only a basic, electrical current at its core. What conducts electricity? What do I have on hand to fix a gap that's about this wide?" he paused as he stretched his arms to mimic the exact length, glancing at his arm span. "No. No, that can't be right. There has to be another way. If the Doctor were awake…but…he isn't…"

He thought for a moment. No matter what happened, there was no way to win. Either they all would die on the ship, or Earth would die and Rose would leave him alone. There was a very slim chance that they could succeed. If he managed to complete the conduit and start the destruct protocol, the Doctor could get Rose and Donna out. He knew that such a thing was almost impossible. No matter what, the choice was his. He got to decide who would die and who would live.

For the first time in his life, would he do the right thing with that power?


	18. Chapter 18

_**Chapter Eighteen: The Last of the Time Lords**_

"Your boyfriend needs to hurry. He's lost three minutes," Halmono informed the companions with a smirk.

Rose shook her head in confidence. "He will do the right thing. He's changed."

"Can you be so sure?" he retorted.

"I've seen in his head. I know it."

Donna gave her a comforting smile. "I believe if you do."

"I do, Donna. I know Koschei. We've been together for months. If there's anything he's loyal to, it's me. He wouldn't do that to me. He couldn't. Just like I couldn't hurt him. He's my best mate."

Covering her mouth, Donna edged closer. "You can't hurt him? What about you and the Doctor then? Don't tell me you're staying with that madman."

"It's not an easy choice, Donna. Of course I love the Doctor. But, I made a promise to Koschei and I don't want to break it. I don't want to lose the Doctor again. He's the one I've always chosen. He had my heart the second I met him. But I do love Koschei. He's more than a friend to me. He's the one that kept me sane without the TARDIS in this world. And so much has changed. I'm not the same girl that used to run about with the Doctor. I want us to go back to how it was, but once a moment is lost…it's lost. I want the Doctor desperately. It's all I've ever wanted. But that man is out there saving the Earth for me. I was starting to love him, Donna. I made a commitment just before the Doctor got here. I've just been so excited to think that I can go back to the TARDIS, back to who I was with the Doctor, that I forgot about what I have here. It wasn't bad. It was good. It wasn't as good as what I had with the Doctor, but it was close. I just don't know what to do. I love the Doctor. I do. With all I have. But…maybe I've overlooked Koschei."

"You really think so?" Donna questioned.

"He would have been here by now if he decided to end the Earth. He's doing something to save it. Not in a thousand years would he have done this before. All I'm saying is that I didn't understand until now just how much he changed and would do for me. That doesn't make this easy. Either I go with the Doctor and hope our love is enough to get back to what we had before…breaking Koschei into pieces…or I go with Koschei. I see what could happen, get over the Doctor, and explore something new. But I say goodbye to the Doctor for good. No hope. Nothing. He'd just be gone after all he's done to get me back."

Donna glanced at the Doctor's injured form. "When we thought he was dead, did you feel like the universe was caving in? Like you'd die with him? If you did or didn't, either way there's your answer."

Rose turned to see his body lying limply on the floor. She spotted just the slightest movement of the Doctor's fingertips. Maybe he was waking up. She didn't answer Donna. Instead, they both held out hope that he would wake up and break them out while the Master finished whatever he was doing to save Earth. They needed to work as a team. The drama could be sorted out after everyone was safe.

In the depths of the ship, the Master stood at a corner. This was the area that they had the fire fight in before. The broken conduit sparked as if to mock him. The aliens and motion detectors were still there. In a moment of genius, the Master had grabbed a few things from Halmono's room. After all, he had found a weapon chest and couldn't resist taking a peek. The grenade like apparatus rolled in and easily took care of any problems. He went a nearby console and opened a channel.

As it hailed the aliens, he grimaced and lined himself up within the wall. His message was pointedly being ignored, so he called to them. "Come on, oh great one! This is the Master! You know that you want to speak with me!"

"Where are you? You are taking your time!" Halmono hissed.

"I have reached a decision. I'm not going to give you the codes. I think that you would just kill us anyway. Everyone knows that there is no escape today. The only thing left to my overactive imagination is the final death toll, and I don't want the entire Earth to be included."

Rose lit up like a Christmas tree. "I knew you'd do the right thing."

"We will shoot them!" Halmono declared.

"You should reconsider. I think that you'll be more concerned with the self-destruct protocol that I have activated. You have fifteen minutes. Good luck trying to stop it. I won't say how I did it, but it is some of my finest work. Not to boast or anything."

Hal chuckled. "There's been no alert."

"I'm getting to that. The conduit you see behind me was damaged. Once I complete the flow, the self-destruct begins. I was only doing this to say goodbye. Rosie…" he paused as his voice dropped. "I have a message for the Doctor, if he wakes up in time. Tell him that I always figured we'd kill each other in the end. It surprises and sickens me that we will go out on the same side, fighting for the same cause, just like when we played as children. Time does odd things to a person. I'm still the same villain…I've just found something…someone…to die for."

Rose's brow knit in confusion. "I don't understand. You can tell him yourself when he wakes up and we get out of here. You aren't going to die. Nobody is."

"Don't be stupid. You know that isn't going to happen. I'm the conductor, Rose. I complete the conduit and I will not survive. The electricity will fry me in an instant. I'll go out like a squirrel on a power line. I'm doing this for you, Rose Tyler. Like a sissy. _Sissy sissy sissy. _Remember when we were in the dungeon? I said that if I die first, I will save you. I wouldn't tell you what would happen if you die first. Well, I wouldn't want to live. I have chosen to die first, saving you. All of you. Not because I am good. It's because I'm selfish. I won't live without you. You're mine. You see, if I had destroyed Earth you would have walked away. If you were to be killed, I'd still lose you. No matter what, chances are that you will be gone. And I can't live with that. I'm too scared and too big of a coward to imagine what that'd be like. Being trapped, forever, without Rose Tyler…I don't know how the Doctor did it. I refuse."

With tears, Rose watched as he wedged further into the wall and got ready to grip the wiring. "Don't do it. Please. There has to be another way. You mean so much to me, Koschei. I don't know if I can say goodbye to you. You're my best friend. You've kept me going in the last few months."

"There is no time to do anything else. Believe me, I tried to think of anything but this. You have fifteen minutes, Rosie. Try to find a way out. Any way. You do impossible things, my Bad Wolf. I don't know if I hate you or love you for it, but I was changed. Not enough. I'll always be a self-interested lunatic. But at least both hearts are pounding. The drums…they're raging…this is how it was supposed to be. This is why I met you. I am meant to die. For you. I do love you. I hope you know that. This is it. Do me a favor. Look for me in the clouds. One…two…three…four…"

He grasped the wires with all his might. The current moved through him and he was gone instantly. The countdown started, and all of the aliens panicked. He was still on the screen. Rose could see him turn to black ash. There was no regeneration. Donna moved her away from the images by wrapping her into a tight embrace. The force field was still in place, but the aliens aiming weapons at them had vanished. Rose turned to see the Doctor's arm starting to move. She wiped away tears and called to him desperately, similarly to what she had done after he regenerated into this Doctor.

"I need you."

Like magic, the Doctor sat up and grabbed his sonic. He slipped through a gap and limped to Donna and Rose. He freed them, suddenly collapsing onto both of them for support. The chaos around them led to confusion on his part.

"What's going on?" he wondered. "What have I missed?"

Rose was in no state to answer, so Donna took over. "We have less than fifteen minutes to get off this ship before it explodes."

"Explodes? Well done, Master! I'm assuming that the smaller ship was left in a hangar on this ship. Or that it's attached. Which means that it's near the bottom of the ship. So we should go that way. I would guess that the Master is meeting us there? Or is there another plan?"

Donna shook her head while Rose cried harder. "He isn't coming, Doctor."

After a pause, he swallowed his emotions and kept moving. Together, they quickly limped downwards into the belly of the ship. Sure enough, there was a clearly marked hatch. Donna opened it and they climbed inside. The Doctor took the helm and flew them as far from the ship as they could. Then, they waited in silence. In a bright show of flame and spark, the Hotspurlian ship was destroyed.

No one spoke. It was a very emotional moment. The air was still and thick with sorrow. Rose was still crying, the Doctor was in shock, and Donna was numb. The Doctor finally managed to find the words.

"What happened up there? I remember that I was shot, but that's all."

Donna muttered a response since Rose was still seemingly unable. "The Master picked you up and we got into a stairwell. Just when we got to the next level, they got us by transporter. We were kept in force shields, but he managed to get out. Those things put guns to our heads and told him to come back and give him the codes to Torchwood or we'd be killed. So—"

"I told him no," Rose interrupted. "I asked him to spare Earth. For me. But when we had that gun fight, it blew a hole in the wall. Something had to complete the conduit. So he did. Set a self-destruct and let the ship turn him to ash. He said something. He said to tell you that he thought that you two would kill one another in the end, but you went out on the same side like when you were little kids. He said I changed him. That I do impossible things. He wanted to save us if he could because he couldn't live without me. Didn't know how you managed it. He loved me. Truly loved me. And then he said…" she paused as the tears kept flowing. "…he said to look for him in the clouds."

The Doctor seemed stoic. He reached for her, and she shook her head no. She wasn't ready for it. The Doctor, though hurt, nodded and allowed a single tear to escape from his dark eyes. Donna was the only one who wasn't crying. She sat down in a passenger's seat with a nod out the window.

"There's Earth in one piece, though. That man saved all those people at the cost of his own life. Villain or not, he went out a hero."

"He did," the Doctor agreed softly. "Looks like I'm the last of the Time Lords again."

"But that doesn't make you alone," Rose answered as she gazed into his eyes.

He could only nod as Donna put a hand on his shoulder. They decided to take some time before flying back home to explain what had happened and figure out where to go from there.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Chapter Nineteen: A Final Jump**_

Once they landed in Torchwood's hangar, they were met with applause and cheers. It wasn't until Jackie got to Rose that she could instantly tell something was wrong. She looked in her daughter's eyes and examined the number of people on the flight. Knowing the Master was missing and how close they once were, Jackie held onto Rose with all her might.

"I'm sorry, Rose. I'm so sorry."

The family retreated to their estate and sat around the dining table. Nobody felt like talking. They all had their tea and sipped as gently as possible. Even the smallest member of the family, little Tony, seemed to feel the somberness.

"He did more than I ever expected in the end," Mickey offered as he lifted his cup. "Here's to Harold Saxon, or whatever his name was."

Everyone halfheartedly joined his toast. Pete awkwardly cleared his throat afterwards, trying to move the subject on. "So, what happens now?"

"We've got the TARDIS parked on Bad Wolf Bay. We plan to go back," the Doctor began with a grin in Rose's direction. "All three of us."

Rose set her cup down and stood up quietly. "Excuse me for a second."

In confusion, everyone watched as she left the room. The Doctor glanced at Donna and leaned in to whisper, "I really missed a lot when I was out, didn't I?"

"Just a bit, yeah. She's taking the Master's death really hard. You might want to go find her and talk to her. See what's on her mind."

Jackie stuck her head into the huddle. "Her room is just about the corner. That way."

The Doctor took the cue and got up. He went in the direction of Rose's room. However, when he got there, she wasn't there. He stood awkwardly in the hallway for a moment. Everything had seemed so wonderful when they talked. She was in love with him, he was in love with her…where was the problem? She seemed awfully excited to return to the TARDIS. Things couldn't change so quickly. There was no way. Then, he heard a quiet sniffling sound.

Following it just a ways away, he saw a door cracked open. He peered inside and saw Rose on the bed in the room. She was going through a drawer in the bedside table, crying. He knocked gently and moved into the doorway. "Mind if I come in?"

"All right."

He sat down on the bed near her, but he wasn't directly beside her. His eyes scanned the room, yet there wasn't much in it. It wasn't until he spotted the suit in the corner that he knew. They were in the Master's room. She was going through his things. Her rose shaped pin was in one hand while she explored a few other things. They didn't speak until Rose lifted a cigar box from the drawer.

"My dad gave him this a few months ago. Used to have cigars in it, of course. They'd smoke after work sometimes. He worked at Torchwood with us. Dad loved him because he was so good at his job. They'd laugh about stupid things Mickey did at work. Once, he got caught in a bunch of cables. Took us almost an hour to get him out. He never lived that one down. Koschei kept his things in here. He didn't have much. Just what he came here with and a few other things. I haven't looked, honestly."

She started to pick through, but the Doctor was too busy looking right at her face. "He mattered to you, didn't he?"

Without speaking, she broke down into tears as she held up a handful of items. He took them from her with a perplexed expression. She pulled herself together to explain, "He kept the slip from the cinema. The movie we saw on our first real date. Next to that is a bottle cap from some liquor we drank at a park. The last thing is a Teletubbies cake topper. We had it for Tony on his birthday a few months ago. He said he'd thrown it out. They used to watch the show together all the time. I didn't know he'd kept all this."

The Doctor gently gave the items back to her. "That isn't like him."

"You don't know who he became. He was with me for six months. We both changed so much. I'm not the same girl. He wasn't the same man. He was my best mate. The only person that knew everything that I knew. He could keep up with me in a conversation. Make me laugh. I was starting to fall in love with him. I decided to move on from you. Get a new start. Then you came back. I was so happy to see you. You're all I ever wanted, Doctor. It was like my past, the wonderful life I'd lost, came back. I was so thrilled at the chance to get that back that I ignored what I'd made. We were starting to move forward together. I want our old life back. I want to forget that any of this happened. He'd gotten into my heart, but only just. It's always been you…but I didn't know how much I cared about him until now. Until I've lost him."

"I've lost him too. He was my mate a long time ago. I'd forgiven him. I wanted him to stay with me on the TARDIS. But he ran here. He hated me and I don't know why. All I wanted was for him to see that he had the potential to be a force for good. You taught him that. I'm so glad that you did."

"You are?"

"Yes. And…there are worse people to fancy. I can't know what happened in the six months he was here. I can't know how close you became. I understand that. I respect it. If you need time or…you don't want to leave because you're not ready…I can handle that."

She met his gaze with a gentle smile. "I love you, Doctor. That hasn't changed. It never will. But, it's not going to be the same, is it? Us traveling together, I mean. We aren't the same. Donna's along. I like her, but it's not going to be as it was. We'll have to take things slow. See what can happen. Accept the changes. Is that all right with you?"

"Changed or not, you're still Rose Tyler and I'm still the Doctor. I don't think so much is really different. I still bring bananas to parties. I wear the same suit. Same trainers. Same hair."

"Still running all over the universe?" she asked with a wider grin.

"Oh yes. All over. I'd like you to run with me. If you'd like. We don't have to pick up where we left off. We can start all over again. I'd like that. Very much."

"I'd like that too. Would you like to sit around and swap stories about Koschei? Maybe remember him a bit before we start anything new?"

He nodded with a stiff smile. "We can. We will. For as long as you need. And as I need. I lost a friend too."

"I know. But I meant what I said. You're not alone, Doctor. You've got Donna. And me."

They looked at one another and decided that the Doctor would tell the first story. Into the early morning hours, they spoke of the Master and all the things they would miss. Once the sun came up, they went their separate ways to get some sleep. Donna was glad to hear that Rose would be joining them on their trip back to their Earth.

Later that day, they all packed their things and allowed Pete and Jackie to drive them to Norway. They had a fun, lighthearted car drive. It was not so lighthearted when it was time to go.

"Take care of yourself, Rose," Pete sniffed and he hugged her tightly. "You're an amazing, young woman. I'll be thinking of you."

"Bye, Dad. I'll always think of you."

Jackie held her close without a word for the longest time. Finally, Jackie looked her in the eye with a stern expression. "Rose Tyler, you better live a long and happy life. Never forget who you are or where you come from. I will always be wishing you the best. And, if you can ever travel safely over here, you better pop in for tea. I mean it."

"I will. Tell Tony his sister loves him and to watch out for shifty teenage girls. I don't want him getting his heart broken when he gets older."

They chuckled and embraced one more time. After that, they waved goodbye and Rose stepped into the TARDIS for the first time in ages. She ran a hand across the console with a wide smile. She was home. It pained her to think that the Master was gone. He spoke fondly of the TARDIS, and they often talked into the night about where they wanted to take it. Donna could see that Rose was starting to get upset, so she went to her with a soft embrace.

"Welcome aboard, Rose Tyler. The entire universe is your playground."

She chuckled happily. "It's been too long since I got to go for a ride."

"Wait until you feel this, Rose. It's the best thing we've built yet!" the Doctor laughed as he started up the TARDIS.

The whole TARDIS shifted, sending Rose into the railing. She couldn't help thinking that she'd lost her space-legs, but nevertheless it was a great ride. With some difficultly, she managed to level herself out. "Where are we going, Doctor?"

"We are stopping by Torchwood first. Jack will want to say hello."

"Jack? Captain Jack Harkness? He lived?" she repeated in amazement. "I thought he was dead."

"No, he very much alive. Alive for good, actually. Thanks to the Bad Wolf."

She frowned at the name, hearing it in the Master's voice. "I brought him back?"

The rest of the ride was about the Doctor and Donna catching Rose up on what had happened while she was gone. They landed in Cardiff near the entrance to Torchwood. Donna went out first, almost in a run, as she adjusted her hair for Jack. The Doctor rolled his eyes and followed her, yelling about how she needed to slow down. Rose glanced at her single bag, and she decided that she wanted to keep some of the Master close to her.

"Always with me, Koschei," she muttered as she opened the cigar box, thrusting a handful of trinkets into her pocket. "Thank you for everything."

The Doctor popped his head in with curiosity. "Rose? Are you coming?"

"Yeah. I had to get something," she smiled as she followed him out.

He walked beside her with a smile. Even though they were not together yet, he had confidence that one day they would be. What mattered is that she was back in his life for good. She had a similar feeling, though it felt strange to be on a different Earth without her best friend. Her hands went into her pockets, but before they got to Torchwood an item fell to the ground. No one noticed.

Rose happily greeted Jack as they entered Torchwood. "It's so good to see you!"

"You too! So, did the Doctor finally tell you that he loves you?"

"What if I hadn't?" the Doctor grumbled at his friend.

"Oh so you two?" Jack grinned.

Donna tried to make signs for him to stop, but Rose had to spell it out for him. "No, we're not. We're taking our time. I need to sort things out."

Awkwardly, Jack changed the subject to an idea he had for a TARDIS adventure. They got onto a lighthearted topic and started to laugh in no time. Donna was too busy hitting on Jack to pay attention to anything that was said. Meanwhile, Rose and the Doctor occasionally stole glances at one another, but starting over felt perfectly natural. She needed time, and he was happy to give it to her.

Outside of Torchwood, the item from Rose's pocket sat in plain sight. A pair of slender fingers picked it up and placed it in their bag for safe keeping. The day continued on as the perfect day for new beginnings. However, none of the travelers could have known what was lost…and found.

It was a ring.

_End._


End file.
